Daily Lesson for September 17, 2020

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Zechariah chapter 3 verses 1 through 5:

Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And to him he said, “See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the apparel; and the angel of the Lord was standing by.

In recent weeks I have read several stories about the clergy in the pandemic and their struggles to make it through these times. Everything has turned upside down and its hard to make sense of where we are. Finances are tight in most every church-- tighter than ever in a lot of churches. The local congregation is on the margins. Many pastors are taking pay cuts. Almost all are being blamed in some fashion -- whether for staying shut down or in whatever degree opening back up. One story I read suggested there's going to be a huge exodus of clergy leaving the Church sometime soon. It's a mess.

But this morning's Lesson gives us another vision. The priest has endured the exile. He's weathered the storm. Haggard and sullied, he's nonetheless survived Satan's assaults. And he stands before the angel of the LORD who clothes him anew.

Clergy friends, my love to you. Some of you will need to say goodbye to this call -- at least for while. There is no judgment in this from me. Our first duty is to stay alive and stay sane.

And still others of you will hold out. "Afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair," you are still at it. May the LORD's angel come to you soon, to remind you of your calling, and put a new garment of affirmation on your weary, weary bones.

It will be enough.

NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow we continue with Zechariah chapters 5-9.