Monday, April 13, 2020
God’s Camp, Our Home
Genesis 32:2
When Jacob saw them he said, ‘This is God’s camp!’ So he called that place Mahanaim
Matthew 28:5.7
But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’
Words of Grace For Today
Jacob saw the angels (on his way to meet his brother Esau, whom he had cheated out of both his birthright and his blessing). He calls it Mahanaim, meaning two camps, or two hosts. One host is the earthly gathering of a few, the other is the accompanying host of great multitudes of heavenly beings.
Most people today live quite well without meeting any angels. Yet again and again they play a key role in the biblical stories. On Easter the angel is the one who shares with Mary what we treasure as God’s victory over death and all evil: Jesus no longer lays dead in the tomb. He is alive and will meet them back home.
Whether we believe in angels or not, we seem to tell our stories as if …
… as if we could get away from God, and be separate from our creator.
… as if we need despair when we are alone, as if God had deserted us.
… as if God was not always accompanying us.
Everywhere is God’s camp. Everywhere is where Jesus meets us, not just at home. Though now with the Covid 19 restrictions and advice in place we stay home as much as possible, so it is a good thing Jesus is there, too!
When we feel like climbing the walls, remember there are multitudes upon multitudes of angels just on the other side of … well everything.
And even if you doubt angels exist, trust that God is with you always, holding you up when you have no more to give, or patience to take being couped up for all our safeties’ sake.
Where we each live is Mahanaim, God’s camp, God’s home, our home.