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Playing With God

EXPERIENCING GOD IN YOUR LIFE

Playing With God

January 27, 2008

Text: Matthew 6:25-34

Matt 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' 32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.”

NRSV

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, there’s a place called the Children’s Museum. It has one purpose: to let children play. We took our kids there during a vacation, and were absolutely amazed. There were children everywhere, totally absorbed in laughing, giggling, jumping, romping, and having unbridled fun. They were building stuff, and tearing it down. They were drawing and painting and getting messy. They were squishing things and sliding down things and going through things. They were making huge soap bubbles, squealing with delight as the globs floated like ghosts, and laughing belly laughs as they popped them.

It struck me, watching my children play hour after hour, how the ability to play and have fun is woven into our DNA. No one had to tell a child, “Here’s how you play with this”—the child instinctively knew. No one had to tell a child, “OK, you can play now”—once the doors opened, they dashed in like Olympic sprinters.

The curious thing is that I never saw any adults playing. Oh, I thought the big soap bubbles were fun and I dabbled with them when no one was looking. But mostly, adults were just standing around. Some were smiling at the kids. Others were reaching for Advil. But none was playing.

Why was that?

Because we adults live with RULES.

Do this, don’t do that. Do this this way, don’t do that that way.

We have statutes and statistics. We have standard operating procedures, and standard deviation curves.

We have rules for being good, and punishments for being bad.

Before you consider playing as an adult, you have to be concerned with what’s right, what’s wrong, what’s the consequence of your action, what limits of liability you have, and what others will think.

Sort of puts a damper on running to the soap bubble pit, doesn’t it?

Why don’t we play like kids any more? Because we adults live with WORRIES and RESPONSIBILITIES.

As a kid, I used to LOVE to play Indian ball, a form a baseball, with the guys. [pick up glove and ball] How fun it was to throw and catch and run and hit and laugh. How we’d joke with each other, and dream about turning on a Bob Gibson fast ball.

That was before we had to worry about what we were going to do when we grew up.

That was before we had to think about who we were going to marry.

That was before we had to wonder about how we were going to support a family.

That was before we had to worry about our daughter going out with the guy with assorted tattoos and piercings and funny hair.

That was before we had to worry about the call from the doctor’s office.

That was before we had to worry about mom or dad falling and breaking a hip, and about whether or not they’re able to live alone.

Yes, Indian ball was… “before.”

You think Jesus ever played Indian ball?

Of course not.

If we live with squeeze-the-life-out-of-us RULES, think about poor Jesus.

He lived in a time when there was nothing but rules, and they were administered by uptight, self-righteous, arrogant religious leaders. The Pharisees and the Sadduccees. They dogged Jesus every step of the way.

“Teacher, you healed on the Sabbath—you’ve sinned!”

“Teacher, we saw your disciples harvesting grain on the Sabbath—you have to keep better tabs on them!”

“Teacher, Moses said such and such, so what do you say?”

The rule-mongers hounded Jesus, from the first day he started his ministry—when they wanted to throw him off a cliff [Luke 4]—to when they thought his ministry ended—when they nailed him to the cross.

No, Jesus wouldn’t play Indian ball, would he? He was too adult.

If we live with WORRIES and RESPONSIBILITIES, think about poor Jesus.

He had no savings, no equity in a home. No closet full of clothes. No 401k’s or IRA’s.

He led a ministry with followers who hadn’t a clue what he was about, and one of whom would betray him.

He encountered people who told him to get lost, people who didn’t understand him, people who never thanked him.

No, Jesus wouldn’t play Indian ball, would he? He was too adult.

Well, we’d be wrong if we thought that.

Jesus would have played Indian ball, had it been invented.

Jesus deeply enjoyed life. Jesus played and had a good time.

His enemies—the self-righteous rule mongers—were irritated at him because he seemed to enjoy life so much. They accused him of being a drunk and a glutton [Luke 7]. In other words, they said he partied too much—and we all know that Messiahs aren’t supposed to party, right?

Jesus, with all these worries on his back, slept like a baby at night, without a care in the world. He never touched a Tylenol PM. Why, he even slept soundly in a boat that was in a storm on the Sea of Galilee [Matt. 8:24]!

Why could Jesus play like this, when he was crushed by problems much greater than ours?

Here’s what I think.

Jesus could play because he knew…

GOD CREATED US TO PUT A SMILE ON GOD’S FACE!

Do you honestly think that the God Jesus called “Father” would create us with this command: “I breathe into your nostrils the breath of life. So go, and get ulcers! Go, stress and strain, grunt and groan, every day, and let your blood pressure shoot through the roof!”

Of course that’s not what God intended.

You were made to put a smile on God’s face. When you enjoy life as a child naturally enjoys life, you put a smile on God’s face.

You know what kept me in the Children’s Museum, hour after hour when I was too adult to play? It was seeing my children play. I loved seeing them having the time of their lives. I felt good having provided that. Can God feel any less when God sees you and me playing in the playground of this beautiful world?

I believe this is what’s behind Jesus’ words in today’s passage.

Looking out at people oppressed by the heaviness of life, he says,

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE...

You were created by the One who delights in calling you “son” or “daughter.” You were created with love. You are looked after with love—the Father knows the number of hairs on your head, Jesus said. You are guarded with love—the Father hears when you call out, and acts.

Do not spend your time and energy worrying.

Rather, spend your time and energy getting in touch with the Father.

… strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness!

Start your day talking with God, and end your day talking with God. Throughout the day walk with God: mindful of the things God’s mindful of, and doing the things God wants you to do, even if it requires sacrifice.

Connect yourself to God this way, and you develop a profound sense that everything will be OK. You sense that One wiser and stronger is in the background of your life, guiding and leading and loving.

Notice Jesus never said worries would disappear. In the last verse of today’s lesson he said, “today’s trouble is enough for today.” The troubles remain. You deal with them as best you can. BUT BELIEVE THAT YOUR WORRIES DON’T HAVE POWER OVER YOU! BELIEVE THAT GOD YOUR PARENT WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU, SO YOU CAN GO OUT AND PLAY, PLAY, PLAY! BELIEVE THAT GOD RINGS THE RECESS BELL FOR YOU—AND YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE CLASSROOM AND DO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO—PUT A SMILE ON GOD’S FACE—PLAY!

This was brought home to me several years ago, when I was a young pastor at Maplewood.

Our bishop at that time was Bishop Handy. He had written a letter to churches, stating something I really didn’t agree with. Actually, it made me somewhat angry, so I shot off a letter to my District Superintendent. I outlined my disagreement pretty emotionally, ending with “I would welcome a meeting with the bishop to discuss these matters.”

Now, I really wouldn’t have wanted to talk with the bishop. But I knew my D.S., he was a friend, and I knew he would never show this letter to Bishop Handy.

Two days after I mailed it, the phone rings.

I hear a deep, Southern voice say, “Is Greg Weeks there?”

“This is he.”

“Greg, W. T. Handy here. I understand you want to talk with me.”

I paused, staring at the phone. I remember thinking, “Well, it was a nice career.” I also thought, “What do I have to lose?”

“Yes, Bishop, I would like to talk with you.”

We set up a time. I went to his office, very nervous. For the first few minutes we talked seriously about the issues. He heard me, I heard him. We shook hands, and I stood up to leave, when he said,

“Greg, I have a few more minutes, sit back down.” He paused, smiled, and continued, “I hear you’re a Cardinals fan.”

For the next half hour we talked baseball. And for every summer after that, the bishop and I would meet at Famous Barr, have a bowl of French onion soup, and talk baseball, past and present. Now, we understood there was the professional side of our relationship—he was still my bishop, and he could still send me to Knob Noster. But we also understood what was ultimately important: BEING A CARDINALS’ FAN.

Let me clarify that. What’s ultimately important is not your opinions, or the work you feel rests solely on your shoulders. What’s ultimately important aren’t the phone calls, the stresses, the strains, the rules and worries of life will always be with you. There’s that side of life—there’s that meeting with the bishop—you always have to deal with. But can you, having dealt with them, put them aside and affirm that you’re a fan of LIFE—beautiful, marvelous, play-filled LIFE—LIFE rich with amazing beauty, amazing people—LIFE that God’s called you to enjoy? Can you be free to put aside your cares and listen for the recess bell? Can you put a smile on your Creator’s face?

Let’s practice, shall we?

We’re going to sing a song that children sing. Here’s the way it goes.

When I point to you [pulpit side], I want you to raise your arms and sing, “Alle-lu, alle-lu, alle-lu, allelujah.” Got it? Try it, and don’t be too Methodist—sing out, not matter how ridiculous you might feel!

Now, when I point to you [lectern side], I want you to raise your arms and sing, “Praise ye the Lord.” Let’s try it.

OK, here goes.

I look out and see some of you worrying about finances—your mortgage, your job.

I look out and see some of you worrying about relationships—with a spouse, a parent, a child.

I look out and see some of you worrying about health—your own, or that of a loved one.

Feels a little silly to praise the Lord after you lift up something heavy, doesn’t it? Keep practicing until it feels good, not silly. Face your problems, believing that God is more than capable of dealing with them, then live—play—beyond them! Life will ALWAYS be a balancing act between problems and praise—so make sure you tip the scales toward “praise.”

Every day you have the possibility of going to YOUR Children’s Museum. Every day YOU have the opportunity to PRAISE THE LORD!