Nothing is Too Wonderful

Exodus 32:1-14, Matthew 22:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9

Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost, October 9, 2005

Heritage Congregational Church, Madison, WI

They have been in the wilderness for a long time. When they had no leader and no hope, God raised up from their midst one who was strong of spirit and knowledgeable in the ways of the enemy. When the time of the exodus came, they feared for their lives and God faithfully led them to safety. When they had no water and no food and feared starvation, God provided. Through it all they have followed the leader made ready by God, albeit not always willingly. They have complained and doubted. They have wondered if God knew what God was doing. And time and time again, they have taken it out on Moses. They wonder if he knows what he is doing. They wonder if he is truly in touch with God. Doubt and fear are their mantra. They need constant reassurance, for God’s care is too wonderful for them to believe on their own.

Today we find the Hebrew people waiting. Moses has been on the mountain for a long time. His return has been delayed, and they are lost without his strong faith. They become anxious, saying “we do not know what has become of him.” And again they fear. They doubt. After all, God couldn’t possibly be working for their good this time. It just can’t be. Moses has just been gone too long. And they do what all doubting and fearful and unbelieving people do—they take matters into their own hands.

They band together with Aaron and make gods to worship. Gods they can see. Gods they can touch. Gods that will reassure them for the moment and put their fears to rest. They mold a golden calf and celebrate with a festival, all because they cannot believe that God could continue to do wonderful things for them when their leader is not in sight.

What they don’t know is that God sees all they do. What they don’t know is that Moses fights for their very lives. What they don’t know is just how wonderful God is being to them, because they are spared God’s wrath. They have blatantly broken the covenant with God, and yet God has remembered the covenant made with Abraham and given the Hebrew people the most wonderful thing of all—their lives.

We find the same relationship with God and created humanity in the New Testament. It is difficult for people to believe in the wonderfulness of God. In Matthew’s gospel we learn again by means of a parable from the lips of our Lord. The most amazing of banquets is underway and the people do not come. They do not respond positively to the invitation of the host. They have more important things to do. They are so busy with their own lives, their own ideas, their own priorities that they miss the invitation of a lifetime. Eventually, the invitation is offered to everyone. Many are called to sit at the banquet, but few believe it is possible for something so wonderful to be true.

This is exactly what Paul speaks about in the conclusion to his letter to the Philippians. The words are familiar ones to us—rejoice always—let your gentleness show—the Lord is near—do not worry, but take everything to God in prayer—your hearts will be guarded by God and you will be given peace. These things are hard to believe. They go against the script of the world. We have to take them on faith. Paul knows this, and so he continues.

As always, Paul encourages. With masterful rhetoric, Paul paints a picture of the wonderfulness of God. With these words he hopes to inspire the faith to believe them. “Finally beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Think on what is good and true, Paul says. Think on God’s ways and not the ways of the world. Let your hearts believe. Trust what you have learned and experienced. The God of peace will be with you. Nothing is too wonderful for God.

When I was in New York in June, I heard a new song I had never heard before in one of the musicals I saw. Immediately it reminded me of Paul’s words from Philippians. Like Paul’s rhetoric, the lyrics paint a picture of hope and goodness, what happens when we think on what is good and true: (Alice—encouraging me to sing, it’s just not the same when you speak the words of a song)

Look at the way the moon behaves.

Look at the way she paints a silver ribbon on the waves.

One thing I’ve learned and I’ll share with you—

Nothing is too wonderful to be true.

Each moment opens like a flower.

The age of miracles comes every hour on the hour.

Turn any corner, there’s something new

And nothing is too wonderful too be true.

If I’m perceived to be naïve to be the way I am let people say I am a silly goof.

Is life a plateful? Am I grateful? Every day I am.

It’s an amazing world in which we live and I’ve got living proof

Look at the way the moon behaves.

Look at the way she paints a silver ribbon on the waves.

Leading directly to me and you—

Nothing is too wonderful to be true.

With the words of the song, Christine tries to convince Freddy to see what is good in life and not focus on the bad. Just look around, she says, and see all that is good. Life is tough and can bring pain, but you don’t have to let it control you. Be grateful and notice the beauty of each day. Nothing is too wonderful! That seems to be her life philosophy.

Unfortunately, at the end of the show the audience finds out it was all a con. She sings the song, giving her all to paint a picture to for the purpose of deceiving her mark. He is a hard sell, but when he is convinced, when he believes that nothing is too wonderful, she lowers the boom. In the show it is all make believe. It is not true. It is merely a way for one person to take advantage of another person. But in real life it is no con. Paul’s message is true. God’s goodness is not too wonderful, it is the real thing.

But we are human beings, frail and easily swayed. We trust what we can touch and see and hear. We live in this world, where all things are not wonderful, and like the Hebrew people in the wilderness, we do not believe enough in God’s goodness. We doubt and fear. At times we act inappropriately and break the covenant too easily. We let go of what God has promised to us. We live instead under a hermeneutic of suspicion, fearing the terrible things that might happen, noticing what is bad wherever we look and assuming the worst of people. We get caught in a spiral of negativity and do not know how to make the spiral stop.

Worst of all, we do not see ourselves as God’s children, beloved and adopted, heirs to Christ’s inheritance. We do not see ourselves as made in the image of the Divine. We find it hard to believe that God sees anything good in us, or has anything good planned for us. We find it difficult to believe in the wonderful things that Paul describes in the fourth chapter of Philippians.

What Paul hopes to accomplish is a change of direction for our thinking. Do not think of this world with all of its faults, for it is not the only reality available to us. Think instead on the things of God. And don’t just think of these things. Use more than your mind, Paul indicates. Use the whole self. Fill your hearts and minds and spirits with honor, truth, purity and pleasure. Rejoice instead of doubt. Have faith instead of fear. Trust in the goodness of God above all else. Focus all your energy on building up instead of breaking down. Let yourself be transformed by letting God fill you with divine goodness.

Paul urges us to imagine a life like that. What would it be like? Think of the goodness of God and nothing else, he says. Clothe yourself with it. Stand in it. Place it on your heart. Surround yourself with it. Let it fill your every pore. Like the air that we breathe and the blood that fills our veins, living in God’s goodness is life-giving. Don’t you want to live in God’s goodness as long as possible, Paul asks? Time with God is precious, do not waste it! So believe. Let it be your truth. Nothing is too wonderful for God.

Amen.