Episode 09: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Translation: Common English Bible (CEB)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
How do you return to God?

Additional texts:
Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 51:1-17
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Transcript

00:00.00
nathanpile
Welcome back. It's time to tend even though it's snowing here at camp we're not planting any seeds soon. But we're gonna plant some seeds of faith. So we're gonna oh yeah, yeah.

00:14.76
Kevin Shock
Um, oh that's nice.

00:18.30
nathanpile
This week we are looking at Joel chapter 2 verses 101 verses 1 and 2 and 12 through 17 again. That's Joel chapter 2 versus 1 and 2 and versus 12 to 17 we're gonna look at this through the common. English translation common english bible translation today but you can follow along if you have the Ce B follow along with that or whatever bible. You have close or you can look it up on biblegateway.com are 3 questions today. What word phrase or image strikes you in this text toward. What is god calling you in this text and how do you return to god.

01:08.28
Kevin Shock
A disclaimer about who we are. We are men married to women in financially stable households white in our late 40 s college and seminary educated we work in the lutheran church and were born and raised in Western Pennsylvania all this affects how we read scripture and discuss it. But none of this makes us better able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. We believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with god and with one another. So we want to know what you hear and thank from your life experience and perspective. Ah, again as Nathan said from Joel chapter 2 verses 1 to 2 and 12 to 17 blow the horn in Zion. Give a shout on my holy mountain. Let all the people of the land tremble for the day of the lord is coming. It is near a day of darkness and no light a day of clouds and thick darkness like blackness spread out upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes. Unlike any that has ever come before them or will come after them in the centuries ahead yet. Even now says the lord return to me with all your hearts with fasting with weeping and with sorrow tear your hearts and not your clothing.

02:31.79
Kevin Shock
Return to the lord your god for he is merciful and compassionate very patient full of faithful love and ready to forgive who knows whether he will have a change of heart and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the lord your god blow the horn in Zion Demand a fast. Request a special assembly gather. The people prepare a holy meeting assemble the elders gather the children even nursing even nursing infants let the groom leave his room and the bride her chamber between the porch and the altar let the priests the Lord's ministers weep let them say have mercy lord on your people and don't make your inheritance a disgrace. An example of failure among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples where is their god if you are meeting with a group. We encourage you to pause the podcast now. Engage the questions on your own. Ah, but if you're listening listen to Nathan Nathan what word phrase or image strikes you in this text.

03:39.62
nathanpile
Um I got I got fascinated with blow the horn in Zion. Um, so much so that I I almost stopped listening to you? Um, yeah, so the um.

03:52.18
Kevin Shock
That's ok, wait wait was it was it kind of like this walk La La Oh man I Knew that there would be a time when I could use the sad trombone.

04:00.47
nathanpile
Ah, he he he is. He has been holding on to that sad trombone for a while everybody. Um.

04:07.35
Kevin Shock
But anyway sorry I please continue. Ok.

04:11.52
nathanpile
Ah, so no, though it didn't it didn't sound like a sad trombone. It was definitely a blow of the horn. Actually what it made me think of because this is so far from my cultural context. Um.

04:30.70
nathanpile
Like we don't blow a horn anymore to um, for much of anything like when I was a kid here at camp Even we would still ah that somebody would play taps on a trumpet or something like that that was that was you know and I was in a band and stuff like that. But.

04:44.62
Kevin Shock
A.

04:49.22
nathanpile
Like there's not a blowing of the horn to get everyone's attention like there's not anything like that that I'm a part of in my culture to kind of say um, hey pay attention. What's going on here and so immediately when it was blow the horn and zion. Um, recently Rachel and I have um. Picked up watching the matrix the 4 movies of the matrix and I watched those years ago well I watched 3 of them years ago and the fourth one came out here. You know recently again, but we were watching the first one and.

05:11.59
Kevin Shock
E.

05:26.32
nathanpile
Um, or was it the second one I don't and we must have maybe it was the second one we were watching because they were actually downy in Zion is a part of the storyline and there they blow the horn every now and then and so that that's where it kind of took me to was this idea of of. Um, getting people's attention and so the if you haven't watched the matrix trilogy. It doesn't or it won't really matter much to you but it's this idea of a apocalyptic time when machines have taken over and all the humans are. If. You're actually alive. You're like buried under in the earth in a little city kind of place. So there's this idea of the blowing of the horn the gap getting the attention of and and here we hear it we see it twice both at the beginning of this um, as kind of a um. Let's get the attention in almost ah an ah, an alarm, an army is coming here for this first one and the second one because I heard it again and then like I was off to my things here was the second ones kind of we should be doing something getting us to do it to do something. Which the first one is getting us to do something because get ready for the army coming kind of a thing but that was where that's where that was my um because it the blow the horn and zion again zion being Jerusalem. Um, there just wasn't.

06:43.69
Kevin Shock
Um, ah like.

06:54.63
nathanpile
It's not I got I got caught on it and and kind of played around with you know we don't We. Don't do this in that way anymore we don't like I can I was a part of a camp that had a Bell. We used to ring a bell to tell people to move From. Activity period to activity period which was completely foreign to me because every time here at Sequinodo We just had a watch and so like you look at your watch. Okay, it's time to move you go to your activity period whereas the camp that I was serving had a bell and so if I didn't ring the bell because I was the program director if I didn't ring the bell.

07:14.40
Kevin Shock
A a.

07:24.57
Kevin Shock
Ah.

07:33.22
nathanpile
or or Gretchen or Courtney we were the they were the other two program directors if we didn't ring the bell then no one moved so so I'm not accustomed to that kind of ah even like church bells playing like now.

07:45.18
Kevin Shock
Ah, yeah.

07:52.20
nathanpile
Like they might have meant something a hundred years ago in our communities. But now they're just kind of like they're just noise in our communities like they don't seem to have meaning you don't seem to have meaning.

08:03.12
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, I yeah I think yeah I think sometimes I I can think of well actually um I can think of 2 examples. Ah where church bells do have meaning um.

08:15.25
nathanpile
Okay.

08:19.44
Kevin Shock
And and I know there are more um because I've been in a variety of congregations throughout our synod throughout the region where our church operates. Um, where there are congregations where they ring the bell during the Lord's prayer. Um.

08:33.76
nathanpile
Oh okay, okay.

08:38.90
Kevin Shock
and and I know that's an ancient tradition of if you weren't in church like you bring it 7 times 1 for 1 time for each of the petitions like when the people are praying the petitions and so if you weren't in church if you were like out in the field in the far on the farm or something like that.

08:51.16
nathanpile
Um.

08:56.57
Kevin Shock
You were able to pray along with the people in the church because you could hear the bell and you knew what they were doing. Yeah um, but but I also remember um when I was in seminary you know we had a we had a church building on our property. It's still there the chapel that.

08:59.25
nathanpile
You knew you knew what? Ah, that's interesting.

09:16.32
Kevin Shock
Ah, previously had housed a congregation. Um and the church bell in that building would ring 10 minutes before worship to call people to worship then it would ring at the beginning of worship and then it would be rung during the lord's prayer.

09:28.48
nathanpile
Um.

09:35.14
Kevin Shock
Um, but there is in the little town where I live Howard Pennsylvania there is the United Methodist church around the corner from our house rings the bell 10 minutes before worship starts and I don't think I've heard it anywhere else except for the seminary in Philadelphia so on the mornings.

09:35.18
nathanpile
Huh.

09:44.37
nathanpile
M.

09:53.83
Kevin Shock
Which are few and far between but the the mornings when I'm not preaching elsewhere if I happen and if I go to church my church starts an hour later um than this one I'll I'll hear the Bell ringing and know that like it's time for people to gather to church there which is you know.

10:07.34
nathanpile
Um, no.

10:12.97
Kevin Shock
I Mean it's interesting because in our little town. Um there there would still be people who would walk to I mean people walk to church here. Um, so it you know it might it might be the kind of thing like you're talking about the camp that.

10:21.29
nathanpile
Oh sure. Sure.

10:30.23
Kevin Shock
They're not even really paying it. They get ready and then they're not paying attention to what they're doing and then they hear the bell and they know it's time to walk to walk the church. Yeah, but the other thing that happens in our small town and I don't know if you ever had this experience growing up in Western Pennsylvania but I sure did um.

10:31.36
nathanpile
And then he had bounced now. Yeah.

10:47.36
nathanpile
Yes, noon ours was a noon.

10:48.44
Kevin Shock
The fire whistle. Ah, and it when I was like yeah yeah, what? But also before a call at least it was yeah or or in in late trobe where I was a young kid. It was also um.

10:55.71
nathanpile
Oh yeah, yeah yeah.

11:06.53
nathanpile
I mean.

11:06.64
Kevin Shock
If there was a severe weather warning um they would they would blow the fire whistle but Howard still has a fire whistle. Um, and some of you who are listening might not have any idea what I'm talking about but it sounds like an like an air raid siren. Um.

11:21.40
nathanpile
M.

11:24.93
Kevin Shock
Ah, we've had people visit the house who hear it and they are completely frightened by it because it's so loud and they don't know what the heck is going on. Um, but the fire whistle was out of commission for a couple of years here in Howard and it recently. Repair was recently completed and so it's blowing again every Saturday at noon and anytime there's a call and um, there has been because of that ah complaining on the Facebook.

11:45.63
nathanpile
Um.

11:52.24
nathanpile
Um, yeah.

12:00.27
nathanpile
Ah.

12:01.63
Kevin Shock
On the the town's Facebook group. Um, why are we blowing the fire whistle again. You know all that kind of stuff and you know all all these all these firefighters have pagers now or or they have or really they have like some kind of app on their phone that connects them to the.

12:06.11
nathanpile
Yeah.

12:11.66
nathanpile
Right? right.

12:17.50
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah.

12:21.90
Kevin Shock
Ah, to the 9 one 1 system. Um, but ah, there were there were several people from the fire fire company who said, ah the whistle doesn't blow so that we know a call is happening. Whistle blows so that the town knows that the trucks are going to be on the move and to watch out and and like I mean I guess I kind of knew that um, but that to me sounds like the same kind of purpose.

12:38.76
nathanpile
Right? yeah.

12:52.62
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah, yeah, what's going on here. Absolutely yeah, yeah, yeah, well and and like Jenner'stown here the town. Ah the camp is a part of or is outside of they still blow for um, fire emergencies and ambulance emergencies.

12:53.58
Kevin Shock
That What we're talking about here in scripture. Yeah yeah, it's like it's a call to pay attention. Yeah.

13:08.15
Kevin Shock
A.

13:09.12
nathanpile
Um, so they still blow. They don't blow at noon on Saturdays that was the town where I grew up but down in New Centerville they they used to blow noon on Saturdays and then of course when the fire department gets called out but till yeah, but that's an interesting factoid there that.

13:16.54
Kevin Shock
A.

13:25.87
nathanpile
They they blow so that the public knows which makes perfect sense makes perfect sense.

13:31.40
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah I mean they're right here they're right along ah a state route I mean it's just a two lae road. But it's ah but it's a heavily traveled road and so yeah, if if the fire trucks are going to be pulling out people need to know that it's going to happen. Yeah, and where we live.

13:41.50
nathanpile
Sure, no.

13:48.80
Kevin Shock
This is getting way off base but where we live. Um, we don't just have fire emergencies. We have lots of we're near an interstate so they respond to lots of Highway accidents. Um, so we also have like ah we don't have an ambulance here in town.

13:56.14
nathanpile
Move. So.

14:04.94
Kevin Shock
But we're also right near a state park with water. So there's like water rescue equipment. There's brush fire equipment there. They're like all kinds of vehicles that come out of this come out of this fire company. But anyway, yeah, so well.

14:06.63
nathanpile
M.

14:15.49
nathanpile
Yeah, ah, all right? What about you? What word phrase or image strikes you in this passage.

14:24.23
Kevin Shock
The image that strikes me is comes after the second blowing of the horn. Um that you mentioned and that is the image of all of the people gathering together. Um.

14:36.31
Kevin Shock
Verse 16 really gather the people prepare a holy meeting assemble the elders gather the children even nurse even nursing infants let the groom leave his room and the bride her chamber um.

14:44.39
nathanpile
Are.

14:51.11
Kevin Shock
It just it for me. It's a comprehensive way of saying get everyone together. Ah, but also that last sentence about the groom and the bride there's for me, there's a sense of urgency there. It's It's a way of saying drop everything you're doing and attend.

14:52.52
nathanpile
Now now.

15:10.33
Kevin Shock
To this work or or what's going on here. Um, you know, even even the most important things ah in your life like in in the middle of a marriage feast or you know, ah a marriage celebrations would have been a lot longer back in this age. Um.

15:11.77
nathanpile
No.

15:30.30
Kevin Shock
If you're in the middle of that This is important enough that you leave that behind and pay attention to what God is doing what God is calling you to do here. So yeah, that's I mean that's the it's a quick answer but that's the image that kind of sticks with me here.

15:43.60
nathanpile
Well and I think your assessment is right because I think the the gravity of a groom in a bride still carries weight today like that. Even though this might you know this is written in Joel so we're in the old testament. So we're back.

15:55.95
Kevin Shock
Sure.

16:03.10
nathanpile
You know 20 at least 2000 years Twenty Twenty two hundred years twenty 500 years depending on exactly Joel's marker dates. Um, so yeah, but it still carries a significance today and like the same would be true as you said. There's wedding celebrations would have gone a couple of days and technically you could say that you know if you're in the bridal party. You know a wedding is a couple of here you're you're you're traveling too and and so forth. But.

16:30.30
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah in a different way and a different way. Yeah, sure.

16:37.43
nathanpile
In their own way right? We're not, they're not there together celebrating that whole time but they are they are deaf it is definitely but there's still something about that would be a pivotal moment in life and you're still as you say supposed to drop everything and gather. Yeah.

16:54.64
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah, yeah, it would be like a cancel the honeymoon. But yeah, it's it's ah I agree with you. It's imagery that still bears meaning in our world today. So.

16:57.80
nathanpile
Yeah, no.

17:08.21
nathanpile
No all right? We'll do us a third or second time blow the horn in zion give a shout on my holy mountain. Let all the people of the land tremble for the day of the lord is coming. It is near a day of darkness and no light.

17:10.96
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, second time.

17:27.90
nathanpile
A day of clouds and thick darkness like blackness spread out upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes unlike any that has ever come before them or will come after them in centuries ahead yet. Even now says the lord return to me with all your hearts. With fasting with weeping and with sorrow tear your hearts and not your clothing return to the lord your god for he is merciful and compassionate very patient full of faithful love and ready to forgive. Who knows whether he will have a change of heart and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering or a drink-offering for the lord your god blow the horn in Zion Demand a fast request a special assembly gather. The people prepare a holy meeting. Assemble the elders gather the children even nursing infants let the groom leave his room and the bride her chamber between the tore porch and the altar let the priests the Lord's ministers weep let them say have mercy lord on your people and don't make your inheritance a disgrace. An example of failure among the nations. Why would they say among the peoples where is there god.

18:58.54
nathanpile
Well Kevin Toward what is god calling you in this text.

19:06.14
Kevin Shock
I I don't want to just give my um, my usual answer which I don't think I've given real recently but it but I will. It's pay attention. Um I I think I Well I can go a little bit farther than that. Um, I hear in this reading a call to readiness. Um, so that so that God when when God when God comes or I guess in this passage really when the. When the army of locusts comes um that we're already oriented toward God Um, So I guess there's also in this for me A um. Called to be proactive rather than reactive ah that in the sense of my my spiritual devotions. My like my spiritual preparation.

20:17.63
Kevin Shock
For paying attention to what God is doing um but this is a call for me that when calamity arrives which it will that you are already oriented your your worldview. Your life. Your perspective is already oriented toward God because if you wait until when that calamity comes not that it's too late to reorient yourself, but it's going to be harder to do that because you're going to be so. Focused and overwhelmed by the calamity that it's gonna be That's gonna be.. It's gonna be hard to change your ah worldview or your life at that point Toward God does that make sense.

21:02.62
nathanpile
Yeah up.

21:14.65
nathanpile
It doesn't use the language of repent here but there would be that connotation.

21:17.70
Kevin Shock
Um, um.

21:24.11
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, you're right? and and I think I'm sure we've said it before that repentance is means turning ah or returning. Um, it is a reorientation of your.

21:29.60
nathanpile
Me.

21:39.84
Kevin Shock
Worldview your life your actions your even your thinking. Um, and yeah, so there is ah there's a sense of repentance here is repent not in here. Um I Guess I Guess not I feel like maybe I'm thinking of. I may be thinking of another reading altogether Maybe the gospel reading for this. Um, for this group of readings has the word repent in it but but also because we dabble in different translations I'm not sure if it it does say in here somewhere in a different translation repent. But.

22:02.48
nathanpile
For the week remember though? no.

22:12.59
nathanpile
Maybe you read it and 1 the other it's yeah.

22:18.56
Kevin Shock
Yeah, there's there's definitely a feeling. There's right return to the Lord your God Um, return to me with all your hearts. Yeah.

22:19.76
nathanpile
Right? That's gonna say it's there in 13 and with your return to lord you know that the idea of change your heart return to the lord pay attention focus. You know these are all um, these are all kind of those those those themes.

22:38.90
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

22:39.72
nathanpile
Kind of echo Echo kind of what you're saying there.

22:47.48
Kevin Shock
Yeah I um this is so this is so bizarre. Um, but I on the radio yesterday I was listening to the radio as I was driving around town and I heard a song on the radio that. Normally I'd be like I'd shut it off before we even got through the first verse. Um, just kiss the style of music is start something that interests me but I have to say that the words actually captured my attention yesterday. Um, and I thought theologically it was not really a. Terrible song um, but the song. Oh my gosh I can't even believe I'm announcing this that I'd like listen to the whole thing. The song is need a favor by jelly roll. Are you familiar with this at all now.

23:35.50
nathanpile
Absolutely not I'm absolutely not familiar with it. It's no way. There's no way anyone that knows me that that is not my.

23:40.72
Kevin Shock
Thinks so thinks. so yeah, so yeah, yeah yeah anyway it it was unlike it was unlike the local top 40 like pop station. But yeah it was it was um, but.

23:49.26
nathanpile
Sure was sure it was Kevin sure was it's on your playlist. It's okay, it's a playlist song for you I got it.

23:59.88
Kevin Shock
But the song I mean I thought the song was actually pretty insightful and it's it's it's all about um I Only talk to God when I need a favor. Ah, but it goes into like it's It's actually a song of repentance like like I'm I'm.

24:13.41
nathanpile
Oh.

24:18.90
Kevin Shock
I'm not deserving ah of anything that God might offer because you know this is my lifestyle like I haven't been attentive to God Um I Only talk to God when I need a favor I Only pray when I got a prayer I have the lyrics here in front of me. Um, but but. The so like who who am I I'm I'm I'm altering the lyrics a little bit here to keep it entirely clean, but who am I to expect a savior if I only talk to God when I need a favor but God I need a favor and and.

24:53.20
nathanpile
M.

24:57.99
Kevin Shock
Like I actually thought feel like I'm I don't I don't listen to like contemporary christian music I don't listen to contemporary country music. This was the song was like everything that I don't listen to but I thought this actually like this it like this will preach kind of. And and it's ah it's a song of it's a song that recognizes the need for repentance and I feel like what this what Joel is calling me toward is like exactly what this song is like speaking against.

25:34.24
Kevin Shock
Like don't just talk to god when you need a favor. What like when don't wait until calamity arrives to reach out to god but but begin that reorientation well before calamity arrives. That's what Joel is saying in my mind. Yes, yeah.

25:43.99
nathanpile
And that's what Joel is saying and and and and and what did jelly roll have to say what was he saying that he was just saying that.

25:53.85
Kevin Shock
Well just that just that he's he's He's not deserving of anything that God might give him but he needs God to give him something. Yeah, he still needs God Yeah, which is which actually I think is its own I mean it's kind of a the song is kind of a lament.

26:01.83
nathanpile
He's he still needs God to do something. Okay, okay.

26:12.60
nathanpile
He says.

26:13.24
Kevin Shock
If I'm being honest, Um, but um, anyway, don't tell Jelly roll that I like his theology I don't yeah ah.

26:20.93
nathanpile
Yeah, all right, all right that again I don't see that happening since I don't know who jelly roll is but that's but it's ah who may yeah they they they may and so just don't out Kevin please. Um.

26:31.23
Kevin Shock
Right? I'm sure that there are people listening who know who jelly roll is ah but yeah, please please now. But I feel like I feel like Joel is yeah Joel is speaking.

26:39.70
nathanpile
Because.

26:46.18
Kevin Shock
This same the same issue from the other side of the coin I Guess Anyway, what about you? What? Um, what is God calling you toward in this text.

26:51.50
nathanpile
Yeah.

27:00.45
nathanpile
I mine echoes everything that you were kind of sharing that idea of of turning myself or returning the the word return shows up both in 12 and 13 um. But also in 13 it is the word talks about tear your hearts and not your clothing. Um and and of course the couple of verses around that also talk about changing our hearts and so. I put that idea of tearing our hearts like god is saying again, kind of echoing what you've already articulated. Um, there's a depth of this so like tearing our clothing would. Physically show others that were angry or were upset or but god is but Joel here is saying no no no return you know the Lord says return to me, return your hearts to me and so tear that heart tear your heart up. You know, kind of apart so that.

27:49.77
Kevin Shock
E.

28:05.49
nathanpile
You can get rid of the the old brokenness the stuff that causes you to turn away from God and return towards God Um, because God is all of those things. God is love God is compassion God will bring forgiveness. Um, so really Change. Again, Not just don't do it for the the visual effect change yourself tear your heart make it authentic and real that it has um that it.

28:32.57
Kevin Shock
A E m.

28:43.80
nathanpile
That it's that what you're doing is transformative and not just some some weak visual Sign. So So that that would be. We're called that would be what I'm feeling called toward in this is is that idea of of ah a deep change or a deep return to the lord.

29:02.95
Kevin Shock
And.

29:20.26
nathanpile
And if I keep talking about that I'm going to answer the third question so that's why I'm pausing.

29:22.29
Kevin Shock
Yeah, and and there okay, okay, okay, um, I mean there is a there's also we haven't said it explicitly yet, but this is these are the readings for in our tradition. Are assigned for ash wednesday um this is I guess technically the first bonus episode of the season. Ah, oh yeah, we should have a little jingle for that. Um, and the gospel which we discussed last season for the same church day.

29:44.43
nathanpile
Bonus episode.

29:58.10
Kevin Shock
Um, definitely has Jesus' ' warnings that don't don't do the holy things just for show just so the people around you ah perceive that you're holy, but do them in such a way that actually changes who you are.

30:06.72
nathanpile
Oh yeah.

30:18.60
Kevin Shock
Or or changes your orientation or you know is is a is a work of repentance and not just a work of show for the people around you. Yeah and I think that's I think the same thing is evident here with what you just said.

30:24.42
nathanpile
No.

30:31.24
nathanpile
Yeah, and I think though um, our conversation now has me thinking about um you know going back to that word blow the horn in Zion like I wonder what today I would have to think about this more. But. Wonder what it would be today. What would be the sound that would help me return you know to change my heart. Yeah yeah, that would be a ah sound that would.

30:59.94
Kevin Shock
Um, instead of a horn.

31:07.49
nathanpile
Um, call me call me back. Call me middle away from my own my own things so that I reimmerse myself in God's things I don't Know. Just as you were talking there. You know then of course blow the horn was what we talked about earlier but I thought but so this idea of changing this you know this the tradition of zion was to to make these. Announcements or decrees using you know the the horn in some way but that because it's not and I probably not going to use the fire signal um to do it.

32:01.44
Kevin Shock
But you could you could.

32:02.82
nathanpile
Otherwise otherwise whoever's running the fire signals gonna have to be there like multiple times a day. Okay I got to go get Nathan back on track. Um, but I do but like but there's something about that that the sound to help us.

32:13.46
Kevin Shock
Ah, ah, ah.

32:21.24
nathanpile
Help us know that and they do it. You know the sound is for community. It's not just for Nathan or Kevin or whoever else is listening. It's not just for one person. It's it's for the whole community to be reminded. This is what we're doing and that there's a depth.

32:37.93
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

32:40.30
nathanpile
There's a depth to that and and even well I don't know like because I think about like like your Methodist Church down the street that every Sunday rings the bell 10 minutes before it's time for worship. But if you're. If you're part of the community. You know what? that means you know why it's there but does the rest of the community. It doesn't it may not have any meaning or have very little meaning to them. It might just be an annoyance like the fire alarm is kind of a thing and so.

33:00.79
Kevin Shock
E.

33:12.67
Kevin Shock
Right? right? right.

33:16.87
nathanpile
Um, to that idea of changing our hearts. What kind of a what what kind of a sound would help us know that we're to engage in those ways. So.

33:21.78
Kevin Shock
Um, well and.

33:34.32
Kevin Shock
Yeah I wonder I wonder if part of the um part of the issue at hand though is that we don't have We don't have anything that unites us as community in quite the same way as um as a community. That's you know like a faith-based community.

33:45.43
nathanpile
Ah, yeah.

33:52.12
Kevin Shock
Or you know, historically where our people would have come from. Ah you know from Europe that um that the church Bell was for the whole community because the whole community was one faith. Um I think there there are examples. Ah the you know.

34:02.41
nathanpile
But.

34:11.30
Kevin Shock
I'm trying to think if there's an equivalent thing that that kind of rings out all over society that people have a common knowledge about I don't I don't I Just don't think that there is um, but.

34:23.12
nathanpile
Now.

34:28.20
Kevin Shock
But because church that's what church bells Do they they they infiltrate life enough for those who are within hearing distance that you know that something is happening and and really like the probably the most familiar.

34:37.25
nathanpile
No.

34:44.20
Kevin Shock
Ah, other thing that happens in our society is also from for a faith community and that's the the um islamic call to prayer. Um, whenever people are engaging in the the ritual prayer. You know, 5 times a day.

34:53.45
nathanpile
Um.

35:01.37
Kevin Shock
Ah, that that call goes out over the loudspeaker from the mosque and um and everyone knows everyone who's who is a muslim knows that that's the time to turn toward Mecca and engage in the prayers. You don't have to be at the mosque to do it? Um, but yeah.

35:15.39
nathanpile
Print like.

35:20.37
Kevin Shock
So anyway, yeah yeah, I don't yeah I don't know what that I don't know what that sound would be and and I think that most of the things that the other things that do ring out in our world or break in to everyday life are. Like warning systems. You know like the um like when an Amber alert goes out and all of our cell phones make a noise or ah or the what? What do they call? it. The the warning I the warning system. The.

35:42.14
nathanpile
Right. Yeah.

35:59.32
Kevin Shock
National that Well I guess it's the it's not just the national weather service. But anytime there's a public emergency The the the buzzing that goes out on the radio and sometimes on cell phones to call people to pay attention to whatever's going on but it's it's not calling us to pay attention. To what you're talking about. So.

36:25.24
Kevin Shock
Anyway, you were since you were sliding toward the third question. Why don't we go ahead and do that all right? Um, so a third time from John chapter. Ah, just John Joel Joel chapter 2 blow the horn inside.

36:28.90
nathanpile
Yes, sounds good dude third time.

36:42.60
Kevin Shock
Give a shout on my holy mountain. Let all the people of the land tremble for the day of the lord is coming. It is near a day of darkness and no light a day of clouds and thick darkness like blackness spread out upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes unlike any that has ever come before them. Or will come after them in centuries ahead yet. Even now says the lord return to me with all your hearts with fasting with weeping and with sorrow tear your hearts and not your clothing return to the lord your god for he is merciful and compassionate very patient. Fool of faithful love and ready to forgive who knows whether he will have a change of heart and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the lord your god blow the horn in Zion Demand a fast request a special assembly gather. The people. Prepare a holy meeting assemble the elders gather the children even nursing infants let the groom leave his room and the bride her chamber between the porch and the altar let the priests the Lord's ministers weep let them say have mercy lord on your people. And don't make your inheritance a disgrace. An example of failure among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples where is their god Nathan um I have to pull the question of how do you return to god.

38:11.93
nathanpile
Um, it's a word that we haven't really talked about and it's not um, listening that time through to see if I heard the word but I didn't I didn't recall. Ah so the word for me would be confess.

38:28.98
Kevin Shock
M.

38:29.37
nathanpile
Is one of those ways. Um and and I've encountered that word here recently in some other reading that I'm doing for ah the for cequinoda's sustain adult retreat here. That's coming up in a couple of weeks and um and so that idea of making confession humbling of ourselves in some ways but being vulnerable to um and I think. When you confess it it can help you change your heart. Um, your you're naming or I'm naming ways that I've hurt others when I make that confession and um and it's up to the other person.

39:09.31
Kevin Shock
Who.

39:24.51
nathanpile
To like they can forgive me or they can choose not to forgive me if I've really hurt them. They're not ready to do that yet. But the the act of actually confessing for myself making myself vulnerable and saying hey I know I've done wrong here. And and to do that with God Um, as well as as with others that I might encounter that with um, but specifically to be able to confess to God when there's times when I I tried to.

40:01.68
nathanpile
Take on ah a problem that I think is mine to solve and sometimes or a lot of times I should say it's probably really not my problem to solve Um, or um that it you know that it's a god-sized problem. It's not a nathanized problem and so recognizing that.

40:10.70
Kevin Shock
In.

40:19.36
nathanpile
Um, some of that confession is recognizing that that I'm never going to be able to solve the problem though I might hide myself in trying to seek answers for that problem. The reality is it. It's it's.

40:26.82
Kevin Shock
And.

40:36.99
nathanpile
I Have to admit to myself that I can't solve it and so being able to put it down and allow it to be gods. Um, so I think a big part of it is being able to name and claim my own behavior and to. Recognize when I've tried to put myself in the place of God or to to control a part of life or a situation or something that that I'm trying to claim like control over things that I don't. Really have any control over whether that's another person whether it's a a situation that there are times in my life that I selfishly want things to go my way but to be able to recognize and if I and I can. Like beat myself up into a pulp trying to like be just be exhausted or feel burnt out or whatever it might be recognized that I This isn't like recognizing that I need to confess that this isn't mine. This isn't my problem to solve.

41:45.85
Kevin Shock
A.

41:48.53
nathanpile
Might I might still have a problem with it. But it's not I'm not able to solve it and so to be able to make confession. Um, and so confession can be about trying to solve a problem. Confession can be about other parts of my of who I am.

42:08.40
nathanpile
And the way that I try to live life at times that um doesn't let God in or um or I try to take on the role of God in and so being able to make confession that I'm not. I'm not the Ultimate. Um and I don't have that kind of control and or power being able to kind of be vulnerable and and name that helps me to kind of also. Turn and be more open to God and what God might be trying to say or do to guide me in that in that process and so being able to make that confession allows me to kind of return and hear what God is saying. As opposed to me just listening to my own my own inner voices that think that it knows the answer or what to do and go from there. So.

43:14.14
Kevin Shock
Um, a sure.

43:22.83
Kevin Shock
Yeah I think that um some of some of what you were saying there toward the end of your reflection really was resonating with what I was thinking about um and I don't know that I can think of a good word like of just 1 word. To answer the question. Um, except that maybe the word is yield I don't I don't know if that's it or not ah but that what I'm thinking about what how I return to god is that i.

43:46.37
nathanpile
Um.

43:58.12
Kevin Shock
Turn my attention or allow my attention to be turned to anything other than myself anything or anyone other than myself. Um I think I won't speak for every human being. But for me I spend a more majority of the time. Um, thinking about. Myself and even in the sense of like not my own needs necessarily but I easily fall into like if I'm facing a situation in the Church. Um I easily fall into like the how do I fix this kind of Mentality. And I consider that to also be thinking about myself because I become the subject of the question. Um, and so anything that um, that helps me to turn away from myself.

44:37.84
nathanpile
Um, yeah.

44:53.80
Kevin Shock
Toward attention towards something else. It might it might help me to either see a ah blessing in my life that I've too easily overlooked or it might help me to pay attention to the needs of somebody else that I've too easily overlooked. Um.

45:12.43
nathanpile
Um.

45:12.89
Kevin Shock
Ah, it might help me to see the fault in my own behavior or speech that I've too easily overlooked. Um and it could be yeah I mean it could be any variety of things. It's definitely not just the Sunday school answer like I pray I read the bible I sing a hymn. And those things might help but those things can also be self-serving um as as Joel kind of indicates and as Jesus says those things can be self-serving um and so anything that go ahead.

45:44.80
nathanpile
No well it good that it.

45:50.62
Kevin Shock
I was just going to say anything I was going to say anything that gets that gets me out of my own head and into the into the lives of someone else. Um is a is a is how God then.

46:10.16
Kevin Shock
Reorients me. Okay, what were you going to say.

46:12.57
nathanpile
Know that that you're you're comment about the singing hymn or reading scripture again if it's not we hear in scripture over and over again that that Ah, ah.

46:29.64
nathanpile
Sadducees or pharisees used scriptures in ways that didn't get to what god was really and what god really intended and so like today I might turn a television show on to um to make myself.

46:39.19
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

46:47.74
nathanpile
Feel better about things we could do this. We can do the same with God's word by reading scripture that helps us feel okay about it or sing a hymn that we makes us feel okay about and not do the hard work of looking inward and making making that change and so um.

46:52.38
Kevin Shock
Right? right? yeah.

46:58.33
Kevin Shock
So yeah.

47:07.24
nathanpile
So that's all I was gonna I was just say you know we can we we can use those things that are meant to be holy and um and in our own selfish way make them about us.

47:23.30
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah I Yeah I Even think I even think kind of the notion of reading scripture. Um, so that I become a better person like even that is selfish I think um.

47:33.85
nathanpile
Yeah.

47:37.73
Kevin Shock
Because Ah, what I realize is that if I'm doing something to try to make myself a better person that which is a weird phrase anyway. But um, but that it never really works unless I'm oriented towards somebody else. Like when I'm focusing on somebody else and how perhaps to make my relationship with them better or to make their life better then I see change in myself toward becoming a better person.

48:05.62
nathanpile
If.

48:13.55
Kevin Shock
But it doesn't happen when I'm just focusing on myself to become a better person. It always happens in relation to somebody else so or something else some other living thing. Yeah.

48:30.46
Kevin Shock
Yeah, so that's how I read it even the again I think I said this in the last episode. The question itself is problematic. How how I return to God Ah how? um yeah I Also don't know that I do um.

48:38.00
nathanpile
Oh I don't think it's problematic and oh well, sure sure.

48:49.00
Kevin Shock
But it's it's God's doing that turns me back So now. Yeah yeah.

48:49.50
nathanpile
Yeah, maybe yeah well and that's the that would be true of confession to for mine in that though I was talking about making the confession God is the one that that has brought about the. Change that I can see that confession is needed for myself. So right? So It's not just about Oh Wow I'm gonna go confess and that's gonna make it all better. It's gonna be.

49:07.55
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right, right? right? right? Yeah yeah God has brought that need to the forefront. Sure.

49:24.10
nathanpile
You know we've all been around people that have made confession that doesn't truly feel authentic like it's more like I'm just trying to get you to say that it's okay, um, it.

49:30.00
Kevin Shock
Right? right.

49:36.10
Kevin Shock
Right? The the non apology apology.

49:41.50
nathanpile
Apology right? and so helped him.

49:52.92
nathanpile
All right? Ah, some additional texts isaiah 58 chapter 58 verses 1 through 12 the fast that god chooses. Um.

50:08.15
nathanpile
Psalm 51 verses 1 through 17 have mercy on me o god according to your steadfast love second corinthians till we had 2 old testaments readings for this one? um.

50:25.89
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah on ash Wednesday isaiah 58 is an alternate. Yeah.

50:26.85
nathanpile
An alternate reading. Okay second corinthians Five Twenty b through six ten so chapter 5 verse 20 be through chapter 6 verse 10 talks about the now is the day of salvation. And Matthew as we alluded to or Kevin alluded to Matthew 6 is the gospel reading for ash Wednesday chapter 6 verses 1 through 6 and 16 to 21 which talks about the practice of faith. So. Ah, those are some additional texts if you would like to dig a little deeper in this idea of um, changing of heart return to the lord repent all of these passages kind of connect with that. Those. Central themes here that fall on Ash Wednesday so Kevin thank you for your reflections and we hope to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you.

51:34.57
Kevin Shock
Peace and peace.