Mercy is for those who fear...
Luke 1:46-55, part 2 (esp. v 50)
This is a tough scripture for me. I don't like the idea of a God who likes people to fear it, or rewards such a dysfunctional relationship. Respect, fine. Honor, great. Love, even better. But fear? It sounds too much like the popular God-as-abusive-father image that I hear too often. My God isn't that - and certainly wouldn't be a god worth respecting or honoring. (If all God wants is fear, then that's what God gets from people predisposed to praise a scary God. Less generous parts of me say: leave them to it, if that's what they want.)
But perhaps I'm letting myself be taken in by the popular image to start off with. Am I reading that verse already thinking that I know what it means - the same thing I see scared-of-God people doing? Perhaps I misunderstood the line.
"God's mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation."
Could it be that God laments the fact that some fear God? That God feels bad for those who fear? Perhaps this is a prelude to the Beattitudes - blessed are the poor and those who mourn. Jesus wasn't saying we should kill our loved ones so that we would mourn more. Jesus was saying something about God's relationship to those who suffer. Is Luke giving a pre-echo of that here? God's mercy is for those who fear God - God doesn't want people to fear God, but God extends God's mercy and compassion toward those who can't help but fear, who have been taught to fear or who have experienced such uncertainty or lack of love that a terrible God is more real to them than a loving and present one. God's mercy is for those so close and yet lost to God.
There is mercy everywhere, it seems. Even here in fear.
This is a tough scripture for me. I don't like the idea of a God who likes people to fear it, or rewards such a dysfunctional relationship. Respect, fine. Honor, great. Love, even better. But fear? It sounds too much like the popular God-as-abusive-father image that I hear too often. My God isn't that - and certainly wouldn't be a god worth respecting or honoring. (If all God wants is fear, then that's what God gets from people predisposed to praise a scary God. Less generous parts of me say: leave them to it, if that's what they want.)
But perhaps I'm letting myself be taken in by the popular image to start off with. Am I reading that verse already thinking that I know what it means - the same thing I see scared-of-God people doing? Perhaps I misunderstood the line.
"God's mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation."
Could it be that God laments the fact that some fear God? That God feels bad for those who fear? Perhaps this is a prelude to the Beattitudes - blessed are the poor and those who mourn. Jesus wasn't saying we should kill our loved ones so that we would mourn more. Jesus was saying something about God's relationship to those who suffer. Is Luke giving a pre-echo of that here? God's mercy is for those who fear God - God doesn't want people to fear God, but God extends God's mercy and compassion toward those who can't help but fear, who have been taught to fear or who have experienced such uncertainty or lack of love that a terrible God is more real to them than a loving and present one. God's mercy is for those so close and yet lost to God.
There is mercy everywhere, it seems. Even here in fear.
posted by Christian at 6:40 PM
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