Abraham, Isaac, and the Panama Canal

     (I preached at the Iglesia Presbiteriana Central, Guatemala City this past Sunday, June 26, 2011. The lectionary passage that I chose was Genesis 22:1-14, which tells the dramatic, disturbing story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac. Here’s the basic gist of the sermon.)

     Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the son that God promised so the covenant could continue for future generations. The story about God’s call for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac has been a favorite through history. Somehow people usually overcome the story’s cruel and violent underpinnings, and focus on the importance of obedience to God, and God’s ultimate generosity to us.  I want to highlight three elements in the story.

     Worship. The word “worship” makes its first appearance in the Bible in this passage—“We will worship.” Worship establishes a healthy relationship between God and creation, reaffirming the centrality of God in human life. Since sacrifices were such a common feature of worship in Abraham’s context, it’s not surprising that sacrifice is so central in this example of worship.

     The message is repeated elsewhere in the Bible—our love of God must be first and foremost. Jesus even teaches that “whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) 

     However, through the Bible there’s a shift away from sacrifice. One reason was the prophets, who criticized the insincerity of many sacrifices. Another reason was the recognition that we can’t ever sacrifice enough to reconcile ourselves to God. Ultimately, the sacrifice that saves us from sin took place on the cross, the supreme demonstration of God’s grace.

     Faith. In Hebrews 11:17 we read, “By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac.”

     We see Abraham’s faith in God’s goodness in several of his statements. As he and Isaac approached the place of sacifice, Abraham told his two servants, “We will come back to you.” Later, to Isaac, Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering.”

     At times we might feel anxious about how things will turn out for us.  Rarely are solutions explained to us in advance. Yet, God provides what we need in the time and way that’s best. Abraham demonstrated his faith in God’s plans. He believed that in the end God would work things out, and that Isaac would be okay.

     Surrender. Abraham’s repeated use of the phrase “Here I am” suggests surrender. However, his actions speak even louder. In his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham shows that everything he is, that he has, and that he seeks is at God’s disposal.  

     As a college student I had the opportunity to visit the Panama Canal, which has been used for over a century by ships to navigate between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. During the tour I was fascinated to hear about the requirements for any vessel that wants to enter the canal.

     The first requirement is to pay a fee, which is determined by weight. Currently the highest fee has been $317,142, paid by a freighter in 2008. The lowest fee was paid by a man who swam the canal in 1928. He paid 36 cents.   

     The second requirement is to turn over the ship’s controls to one of the canal pilots. No matter the size or importance of the ship, its captain must surrender the wheel to those who are familiar with the canal’s unique and tricky conditions, and know how to avoid disaster.

     In a similar way, the Lord calls us to a new live, the way to salvation. However, there are some requirements. First, there’s a cost. Unfortunately for us, the cost is set according to the weight of our sin, and we can’t afford it. The good news is that Jesus has paid this price for us by giving his life, that by God’s grace we’re invited into this new life.

     The second requirement is that we turn over the wheel, that we surrender the controls of our lives to God. We place ourselves in God’s hands, trusting that God knows much better than us about the conditions of the world, with its tricky twists and turns.

     Yes, God provides for us all that’s needed to journey through life, to enjoy its abundance, and to glorify God along the way. With a spirit of worship, faith and surrender, God’s divine plan is fulfilled.

Hospitality to Groups of Strangers

     Bacilia and I hosted a retreat this past week for Presbyterian leaders who are working on building ties to other countries. At their request, I started with a class on English phrases to use when hosting folks from the U.S. This is always fun, because few things stir up good-natured laughter like grown-ups struggling to pronounce “Pleased to meet you” and “Are you thirsty?”    

      The retreat’s theme was hospitality, with focus on the story of the three strangers that came to Abraham’s house in the desert. (Genesis 18:1-15) We noted the mysteriousness of this group, how it wasn’t obvious right away that they were God. We discussed Abraham’s enthusiastic welcome, how he carefully tended to the visitors’ needs for rest, food, and drink. Someone pointed out that although Abraham didn’t seek reward, his warm reception set the stage for the news of Sarah’s long-awaited pregnancy. Apparently, our graciousness to others connects to God’s graciousness towards us.

     We then discussed the ways that Guatemalan Presbyterians receive groups of strangers that visit from afar. A woman commented, “When our brothers and sisters from the north come, usually they bring lots of material help, and we can feel like we can’t give much in return. Maybe the most important thing we can give is our welcome, like Abraham did. And then who knows, it might lead to blessings no one ever expected.”

     Abraham’s model of hospitality was evident when some youth traveled from Houston, Texas in early June to visit the Iglesia Presbiteriana Macedonia, on the coastal plain. During their visit, the host congregation surrounded them with all kinds of welcome—hugs and smiles, refreshing fruit drinks, and meals with local flavor. After days of painting the church together, a farewell service included joyful songs, prayers of thanksgiving, and home-made gifts. (Photo: cooking corn atol drink for visitors)

     Rev. Isaías García, the new Permanent Secretary (i.e. Stated Clerk) for Guatemala’s church has asked us to forward his greetings to churches in the PCUSA, and extends his sincere invitation to them to visit Guatemala and witness what God’s doing through Presbyterians here.

     Presidential race: Campaigns continue to heat up in Guatemala. Candidates spend exorbitantly on advertising and huge rallies, but tend to be vague about how they’ll solve rampant crime, corruption, joblessness and malnutrition. In parts of the country, drug violence has caused the government to declare states of siege. At least 26 candidates and campaign workers have been assassinated since campaigning officially began in May. Please pray for fair elections on Sept. 11, and for officials with wisdom and integrity.

     Family news: Soon we’ll finish one year in Guatemala. Matthew and Manny just finished 3rd grade and kindergarten respectively, and they can’t wait for next year. Stefi enjoys pre-school. Jesy, a niece of Bacilia’s from Honduras, is with us to lend a hand for a while. Our 6-month-old Labrador retriever Katzi (which means “our dog” in the Kek’chi language) has outgrown our little backyard. Taking him for walks helps keep us in shape. God’s been good to us, and we’re so thankful for the opportunity to serve Christ in this place, and for the support that we’ve received from so many.

Seeing that God is Good (in Belize)

     This past week our family traveled to Belize to renew our Guatemalan visas, something that we need to do every six months.

     The term visa comes from the Latin for “things seen” (from which we also get words like vision and visit). The idea is that a visa is a permit in a passport that’s been officially seen or examined.

     We tried to make the most of this necessary trip by expanding on the concept of ‘things seen’ to include sightseeing.

    From our hotel in the Guatemalan port of Puerto Barrios, we saw, and waved at, ships coming from and going to places like Portugal, Holland, and Liberia.

     At the Garifuna village of Livingston we saw, and tasted, tapado and machuca (fish soup made with coconut and plantain).

     In the town of Punta Gorda, Belize, Matthew and Manny saw, and caught, buckets of crabs.

     In the seaside village of Placencia, Belize, we saw, and touched, a live starfish on the beach.

     Thank you, God, for so many wonderful things to see, and for opportunities to see them!

     (Photos below: Swimming at our hotel in Puerto Barrios, skipping rocks in Punta Gorda, bike riding in Punta Gorda, riding our lancha to Punta Gorda, sitting on the dock in Livingston, banana ship in harbor, waiting for another lancha.) 

Becoming Disciples while Making Disciples

     Today a youth team from St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas, completed a six-day trip to Guatemala. The seven youth and four adults were kind enough to regard me as the 12th disciple in their group. Their visit to the Iglesia Presbiteriana Macedonia, in San José el Ídolo, Mazatenango, included a thorough painting of the inside, outside and top of the church building. There were numerous opportunities to interact with the Guatemalan youth, such as soccer, swimming, an impromptu “battle” of choruses (the Guatemalans out-sung the Americans fairly easily), and sharing of faith stories. The Macedonia church went overboard in welcoming the folks from St. John’s. People of all ages worked side-by–side, and showered everyone with hugs, gifts, and savory dishes of local food.

     On the last night, the St. John’s team reflected on Jesus’ command that we go to all nations and “make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20) The aim of the Great Commission goes beyond being a blessing or offering a helping hand, although these are important parts of ministry. Our deeper purpose is the formation of disciples.

     When mission teams from places like Houston connect with churches in places like San José el Ídolo, they hope to somehow contribute to the making of disciples. They often find out, unexpectedly, that they’re the ones who are being made into disciples. Furthermore, when they’re back in the U.S. they find that they’re more eager to make disciples in their home communities. They find out that “all nations” includes their own.

     When the group from St. John’s returned to Texas, their suitcases carried souvenirs purchased in Guatemala’s markets. Much more importantly, I sensed they brought back inside of themselves the gift of God’s grace, the spiritual treasure that’s received by all who heed Jesus’ command to “go.”