The Quest for Meaning
March 16, 2025
As Rev. Dr Marcia McFee says, “we are meaning mongers. We look for meaning in the chaos that is life.” Sometimes the meaning we find leads us to wonder anew at the awesome of God. The passage that we heard from today from the book of Genesis is one of the core scriptures that describes not only Abraham and Sarah’s relationship with God, but also the central promise around the birth of Israel. Keeping in mind what was said in the introduction to that reading that this passage has been used as an evil cudgel, with which to conquer and destroy indigenous peoples all over the world. Now, when it was being read, certainly my mind and perhaps your minds were searching for what is the meaning in this passage? And there are reasons for that. Partly, I think because the promises made twice or we hear Abraham questioning twice God‘s promise.
And partly because we see Abraham and Sarah, as being the example of faithful living. I mean my heaven they follow God into an unknown future with no more than a promise to guide them. Their faithfulness is without question. Yet here is a moment when Abram questions. So, what’s going on?
Well, it’s important to know that this passage comes actually relatively close to the end of Abraham and Sarah’s life which we hear about in the preceding chapters. If we read those chapters, we would hear about the many adventures this young couple leaving home and known to venture into the strange and the unknown. As well some of their decisions we quite questionable. Let’s put it this way, those adventures might even make Donald Trump blush. Ultimately though, it really is an unbelievable journey of faith and relationship with God. Which is another thing, Abraham and Sarah seem to have such an intimate relationship with God. They seem to so clearly hear God’s voice (when they want to), but now they have reached the third act of their lives and as faithful as they are, they are wondering if they have missed something in their relationship with God. After all they are now old and who will inherit the land and their wealth that they have cultivated and worked so hard to accumulate in some of the harshest conditions imaginable? And there is the seed of doubt. They simply do not see a future. Certainly, Abraham doesn’t see one. So, what did all of the struggle, and strife and hardship mean?
I think that we can identify with Abraham and Sarah, because for about two decades, I have heard churches commiserate with each other about the lack of children, and therefore the lack of a future. It’s the same question on the lips of Abraham and Sarah, why all this struggle; why all this work; why, when we don’t see a future? Scholars have revealed to us an interesting fact about this passage. This passage was not written in the time of Abraham and Sarah, but rather was put down on paper (or scrolls) when Israel was living in exile in Babylon. That means this story, this promise of a future which Abraham and Sarah couldn’t see was remembered by a people who had lost everything. Their monarchy was gone. Their land was gone. Their temple was gone, and as far as they could see it was, their future was gone. So, the question for the people in exile was how can we believe that there is a future for the fulfilment of God’s promise, when we have lost it all and are all living in exile?
The answer, of course for the exiles, for Abraham and Sarah and for us, is embedded in this passage.
First, it is essential for people of faith to know that doubt is a part of our relationship with God. Indeed, a faith that has not been challenged with doubt is called a cult and that is not the kind of relationship that God seeks to be in with us.
Secondly, instead of God simply saying, shut up and believe, God takes Abraham and I think probably by implication Sarah outside out of the tent and have them gaze at the stars. In part to suggest that their descendants will be as many as the stars, but I also think to have them gaze upon the stars to be drawn into the wonder of creation. By implication I think God is saying that just as it is incomprehensible to humans about how the universe was made (and yet there it is before you’re very eyes) so too is incomprehensible how a positive future might unfold. We cannot see and yet the power that creates the universe can and will create a future without us understanding how.
And thirdly, in the passage where God has said, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur (your hometown) of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” God is reminding them that God chose them when they were childless. When they had very little, except hope and a desire to be in relationship with God and each other. God’s choice of them was not based on what they could or have already delivered, but rather on the willingness to be in relationship. Maybe God was saying, “It’s alright to doubt and to bring your doubts to the one who cares about you but stop worrying about the future of which you have no control. Instead focus on the relationship in which you have control. In the Message translation of Matthew 6:34 Jesus puts it this way, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
Today Forest Hill will consider a motion, that has already been approved by Trinity United at their AGM last week, which is to empower the leadership to begin discussions on amalgamation of our two congregations. Now I have to be honest, there is no plan. There are no details and even if there were there would be no clear path about how to get there. But the passage and the words of Jesus remind us that those things are not important. What is important is a relationship with God and with each other. Having doubts and expressing them is fine and ought to be accepted. Besides, when we allow ourselves to wonder at what we have already accomplished by working today for one year should give us faith in the unknown future. Amen