Nougat 19

Greetings and salutations one and all.

Yesterday, well actually late last night, I stayed up to see two of my children confirmed as ministers of Word and Sacrament and Pastoral Care. Congrats Bjorn and Cynara Blessings for your work ahead!

As the ordination service unfolded, I found myself engaging at different levels, including that of a spectator. And as we consider today’s Holy Nougat, I invite us to note how we engage God’s Word:

“So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭11:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Having read this nougat yesterday, how did you respond to it just now? Did you quickly gloss over it thinking ‘this again!’, or were you open to seeing/hearing new insights? Given the question posed in the introduction, were there new ideas being imprinted on your spirit? In what ways did you encounter the nougat? – Did you stop to engage at all?

Though you might have already prayed, please pause to pray once again as you reread the nougat and sit with it. “So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭11:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many characters did you encounter in this brief nougat? Are you sure no character was added or excluded as you read – like the people we assume are there, or automatically discount? Did you see the messenger/ who delivered the sisters’ request? S/he must’ve been there nearby, awaiting His response to take back to the sisters, or perhaps even hoping to accompany Him to them. In the process, did you see the age and gender of the messenger? Did you, like me, draw the conclusion that Jesus (more so His disciples) *must have* known the person well, since it doesn’t seem that the person was dismissed? Maybe you’re still stuck on age and gender, as I was for a bit. Or you are trying to figure out if there were town criers who had such special responsibilities.

Did you notice the crowd – there’s always a few folks around Jesus when He’s in town, even today. Considering the hour (which, ironically, we don’t know), what was the demographic?, or would it not matter what hour if Jesus was in town? How closely pressed in was the crowd? Was the crowd a deterrent to reaching Jesus, as had happened before? And to whom was Jesus speaking – the twelve disciples, or the seventy? Perhaps only the inner circle.

Lastly – where are you in the nougat? Any of those characters mentioned in our reflection? Why are you there? How do you respond to Jesus’ words?

I pray God’s Word continues to come alive for us all as we read, hear and engage God’s Word.

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May all we seek be found in Christ