Abraham has died, at the ripe old age of 175. He led a complicated life, complete with treachery, and the near sacrifice of his son, Isaac. But throughout it all, he trusted God. The reflection accompanying today’s reading is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian killed by the Nazis for his opposition.
He talks about the relationship between faith, hope and love, as it relates to a life lived in God. He argues that while faith keeps us justified before God, and lets us hold fast to Christ. Hope longs to see God, and focuses us on our death and ultimate home coming. This was probably especially poignant for Bonhoeffer, given his frequent imprisonments, and the death all around him. Finally, love is greater than these, because through Christ, love is already here. Love forgets everything for the benefit of the other. He argues that love even ‘sacrifices one’s own salvation to bring it to one’s family’.
I’ve read the scripture bit about faith, hope and love. And reading it from the perspective of a humble, martyred Lutheran pastor helps me internalize it even more.
Obviously Abraham had loads of faith, and hope and he went through great trials all for the sake of his faith and his God. As a human, reading his story I struggle to understand the love part, as it doesn’t seem like he showed much love to Hagar, Ishmael, or Isaac. And I’ll admit I don’t always understand God’s ways. So I’ll just credit Abraham with a deep faith, and in my opinion an imperfect execution of the love. Imperfect, like me.
Here I sit, thousands of years after Abraham’s life and death, reading snippets and deciding what I think about his faith, hope and love. If today were my last day, what do I hope people would say about me? I have a friend who for New Year’s writes her obituary. It sounds morbid, but let me explain. She writes out what she wants her obituary to say. Loving wife, patient mother, loved life. Once she’s written it, then she sets about her intentions for the next year to life the life that will result in that obituary being read. She says there’s nothing like trying to sum up your good traits in three paragraphs to focus you on what really matters. I think it’s brilliant, and yes perhaps a little morbid.
This morning I’m thinking about actually writing my obituary, and then living a life that results in that self-image. As a multi-media bonus, here’s a song that I really enjoy that I believe summarizes what I hope. Where I put my faith. How I want to love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsWECNPiwUo.
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