after dark

Our celebrant this morning is a friend/associate from England. She is always a little nervous about celebrating here because our liturgy is put together differently than the one she uses at home. All the components are there, but not quite in the same order. Her preaching, however, was magnificent, as she brought the two stories (from today's Old Testament and Gospel) together, and asked some probing questions. The heart of her point was this: Are we more like Abram or Nicodemus?

God spoke and Abram obeyed. And what God said was not especially plausible: "Pack up, travel far and I'll make you the father of a multitude of descendants." Yeah, right. Abram was doing well right where he was, he was in his seventies or thereabouts, his wife was barren (possibly post-menopausal). Yet he packed up and traveled. No questions.

Nicodemus, on the other hand, a prominent intelligent leader of his people, recognized that Jesus had something. Not wishing to sully his reputation by being seen with Jesus out in the open, he visits after dark and proceeds to question and argue. Which one are we like?

Don't know about you, but I am constantly questioning and arguing, only occasionally obeying. Oops.