THE JOY OF THE ROUTINE

Introduction

After having been gone for some 6 weeks, Susan & I were happy to again be part of the River East congregation. Last Sunday, during the first choir song, I settled back in the pew and silently breathed an "Ah…" How good it felt to be "home." This brought many thoughts swirling through my mind. Routine is a blessing. God blesses us through the normal, routine activities of our lives. Today I want to share a number of these ramblings. I hope and pray that you will be able to connect with at least one idea this morning.

Scripture Reading and Illustrations from the Bible

From the Old Testament

We have just heard the reading from Jeremiah29.

Jeremiah 29:1-14

Part of this is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

 

Maybe a bit of a historical review might help. Israel (and Judah) were situated between two major powers—Egypt and Babylon (or Assyria, depending on the time period). For years, Israel and Judah had been under the subjection of a foreign power. Which one depended on which superpower had the upper hand. Israel's leaders (political and spiritual) sometimes pushed for Egypt, next time for Babylon. 

Finally, in 586 BC Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar took many captive and destroyed much of Jerusalem. For most of Jeremiah's life he had tried to warn the people of Judah about this coming judgment but nobody listened, and for the most part people told Jeremiah to be quiet. 

Now the worst had happened. Most of the nation was cruelly uprooted and carted off to Babylon where they were forced to live in labour camps. Jeremiah knew that even in Babylon the Israelites still needed a word from the Lord. The problem was they now needed a different message. The judgment had happened. Exile was a fact of life that, in all likelihood, was not going to change for at least another generation. They were stuck in a strange land, forced to obey their Babylonian captors. How would they survive—with all the familiar symbols and landmarks such as the temple gone from sight. Everything was new; everything was in turmoil. How could they go on being themselves and remain a people now that they were cut off from everything they held dear?

What should they do in such oppressive circumstances? Raise the defiant hand of protest? Clench their fists, refuse to have anything to do with their alien environment, put up barriers between themselves and the dominant foreign population that surrounded them, keep to themselves, pretend that things would be different in the morning? Or, the opposite alternative: abandon everything they were and ever believed in, adapt, blend in and accept the fact that a Babylonian lifestyle was "as good as it's going to get"?

These alternatives were being preached in the small communities of exiles scattered around Jerusalem - by would-be prophets who thought they knew the message people would accept. The four thousand or more captives who had gone to Babylon also were being troubled by false prophets, who like those in Judah were saying, "This captivity is not going to last very long. God is going to restore you. God will send you back to Judah."

Jeremiah, hearing about this, writes them a letter, and this is the message he was given to deliver to them. "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord."

"You are going to be there a long time," God told them. "Settle down; accept it. Make the best of the situation, enjoy yourself while you are there to the fullest degree that you can. For remember -- this is what I have chosen for you. It is the best way out. And while you are there, pray for Babylon, seek the welfare of Babylon."

Many of us may be in similar situations. Because of circumstances we are in a tough situation. But we cannot change it. What does God say? "Accept it, work for the welfare of those around you. And wait for my time, for it will come."

What did God tell the Jews through Jeremiah? Find a place to live. Build houses and live in them Plant a garden. Make sure you have enough to eat, enough to survive. Raise a family. Help them to raise theirs. Do what you can to take care of things, even the strange new place in which you find yourself because you're going to need it to remain who you are. Keep ahold of something from the life you knew before that keeps you human, keeps you yourself. Make the best of it by keeping faith with who you are in such an ambiguous, uncertain and even hostile world.

That's what you can do. Remember the things you did before you were brought to this place, the things that made you distinctively who you are - the way you dress, eat, spend your money, spend your time. Realize that you're in Babylon, that these aren't the familiar, normal times, but that routine is essential. Do the best you can to go on being yourself rather than become something you're not. "For I will remember you," says the Lord, "if you remember me."

From the New Testament

Luke 17:11-19

For many years, long after the return from the exile, the Jews were controlled by foreign powers. What was God's plan—and why did he not reveal himself. In the midst of struggles and frustrations, Christ came into their world. 

People flocked to see him—to gain freedom from illness, to win freedom from the oppressors, but not necessarily to receive personal, spiritual victories. In the midst of this we come to the story of the Ten Lepers. 

Robert Capon, in his book "Parables of Grace" 
urges us to think about it this way.

"The ten lepers are all dead people.  Whether you are talking physically,
spiritually, or socially, they are dead.  They would love to get healed ,which, in this context, means they would love to  get raised 
from the dead, and return back home to a 'normal life'."

That's all that they really asked for. Just a chance to 
"be like other people".  They assumed that this was what Jesus was 
all about— a return to the normal, a revival of the ordinary for people who, because of their infirmity and illness, are abnormal and 
marginalized.

All that the nine wanted out of Jesus was to be made well and 
then do what everybody else had been doing: going to school, 
driving to work on Mondays, attending synagogue on Friday night 
if nothing more interesting was going on, eating yogurt out 
of plastic containers, meeting someone and maybe starting 
a family of nice, normal, ordinary kids.

But one of the healed lepers, the Samaritan, realized real resurrection. 
He alone came back to say "Thanks".  He realized that 
the hand of God had touched his life; that Jesus 
had accepted and changed him. 

Jesus healed ten lepers.  Of them nine went away as commanded to show themselves to the priests and to return to their normal lives.  What a shame that the other nine met Jesus, the one who takes us and embraces us just as we are, the one who forgives us and gives us his resurrection power, and came away from that meeting with nothing more than normal. But one of them, a Samaritan, turned and gave Jesus thanks - and he was made whole on account of his faith.

What a different routine for the healed Samaritan. Jesus tells him, "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you." It seems that the nine who wanted nothing but physical healing gained what they expected. But, the one gained so much more. Jesus now tells him to go home and accept God's plan for him. This Samaritan is not only healed physically, but spiritually as well. He has gained normality, but his routine, his normal life will be much different than that of the other nine. The healed Samaritan was right in the middle of God's plan. Now he needed to make that his normal routine.

Contemporary illustrations

It is 25 years ago that Susan & I arrived in Winnipeg for what I'm sure both of us thought would be a temporary stay. After all, up to that point we had never lived in a location longer than 5 years. Five years we should be able to handle, but— then routine set in. We became comfortable in our surroundings. Our children found life mates here. Our church home was a significant part of our lives. And now, with four grandchildren a short distance away, we are settled into Winnipeg. A normal routine generally controls our lives.

Boring—not!

A year ago last August, we managed to sell the family book business. We transferred inventory to the new owners in Winkler, Manitoba, then packed our car for a trip to Lancaster, PA. Retirement, but with a purpose. Our youngest son, Jon, and his wife Lori, live and work in Lancaster. We had committed ourselves to taking care of their two children (age 4 & 2) while our daughter-in-law attended seminary full time.

This was a challenge. We were in a new place, without familiar faces, places or routines. How would we cope? What should we do? We were sure that God had this as part of His plan for us, but why so far from home, and why so different from our life in Winnipeg? Imagine for instance, having really no adult conversations (a few words at the church we attended) for the duration of the winter. Imagine—no coffee at Tim Hortons.

This was not routine, although after several months we did manage some semblance of a routine. During the week we handled the childcare and other household chores. On weekends we often travelled through the area checking out tourist attractions.

Then a new turmoil hit the area. After being there for some 6 weeks, on October 2, 2006 we received a call from our son, Daryl, here in Winnipeg. He asked how close we were to the Amish school where a number of students had been shot. Imagine our surprise—Winnipeg knew about this before we did, and we were only about 20 minutes away from West Nickel Mine School. We were just too busy with childcare to listen to radio or watch TV. But now we quickly checked the news.

Ten girls had been shot in the West Nickel Mines School. The Amish school shooting occurred on the morning of Monday, Oct 2, 2006 when a gunman took hostages and eventually killed five girls (aged 7–13) and then killed himself. Police reported that the gunman was Charles Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk-tank truck driver who lived nearby. (from news reports)

What a horrible shock came over us. This was only a few short miles from our residence. Soon it was an international news story. To see such a peaceful people brutally attacked left many appalled.

World renowned reporters beat a path to the Amish community. What was this group—with its horse and buggy ways—all about? Many stories could be told about the bizarre attempts by the media to infiltrate the community.

The Amish, although living "among the English" are really a totally separate community--but a COMMUNITY. They pull together and support one another in every aspect of their lives. Although this vicious shooting stunned outsiders, it was not only the violence that shocked a questioning world; it was also the forgiveness that came from the Amish. Most people were not prepared for this, this lack of accusation or vindictiveness.

The Amish community refused to hate what had hurt them. One Amish grandfather said to his family, "Do not think evil of this man." Others went to Mrs. Roberts' home (her husband was the shooter who killed himself after shooting the ten girls) bringing food and forgiveness, including a message, "Do not leave this area. This is your home, stay here."

When I heard the local funeral director state that of the 75 people at the shooter's funeral about 35-40 were Amish; when I read that some Amish brought food to the Roberts family; when I read that the shooter's wife was invited to the funerals of the girls, then I could only say, these people practice Christ's forgiveness as a normal part of their lives. Yes, the hurt and frustration must still be there, and we have read a bit about that, but the foremost feeling is that of forgiveness.

What next? When would normalcy return? Were the Amish, like the Israelites, hoping that all would go away, that they could return to their quiet, unobtrusive life? They sought to avoid the outside world and tried to shut off the connections to the media and gawkers. Would the Amish ever be able to return to a normal routine? How could they cope with all the attention, something they really abhor? How would life become routine again? What have they done to make life normal again?

This happened a year ago. The anniversary of the shootings was earlier this month. Amish families kept to their homes as they privately marked the anniversary. In keeping with Amish custom, no public observances were held for Tuesday's anniversary. A day earlier, local Amish families gathered to sing hymns, pray and share a meal in remembrance. The community does not plan a public commemoration. The routine of farming, visiting, making meals etc. are so necessary for coping with the past. Normalcy brings a peace and satisfaction.

West Nickel Mines Amish School has long since been razed, in part to prevent it from being treated as some sort of shrine or becoming a morbid tourist attraction. The site is unmarked by memorials. Sweet-smelling grasses, goldenrod and chicory now grow there. A new school, named the New Hope Amish School, opened April 2, exactly six months after the shooting. Down a private drive, between homes and enclosed by a fence, it is more secure than the old building. Susan & I took a drive through that area near the end of April. We saw numerous one-roomed schools, but are not sure whether one of was the Nickel Mine School.

After nine months of childcare work, we too were very ready for some normal routine. What a joy to return to Winnipeg, and settle back into our home. The normal routine took over our lives. Breakfast at Tim Hortons was back.

But, we knew that the routine would not last long. Sure enough, in the latter part of August, we left for the Fraser Valley, to be with family as we lay to rest one of Susan's brothers. This, combined with a vacation, meant we were again far removed from routine.

Let's recap—

The people of Israel longed for their old routines. Although this was impossible, Jeremiah informed them that the Lord had planned out the best for them. God spoke to his people and encouraged them to maintain normalcy in their lives, for after all, God said, "I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hoped for." (Jer. 29:10-11, Message)

Jesus healed the lepers, and gave one a new spirituality, a newness of life that gave him normalcy, but a normalcy far exceeding those satisfied with mere physical healing. Again, God knew what he was doing and had wonderful plans for the healed.

The Amish also, after the bright spotlight of the world media, are desperately seeking normalcy and routine. They desire a return to the peace and quiet of ordinary life. They are trying to put the uprooting behind them, desiring rather that God reveal the future in His time and manner.

A normal routine is essential for the well being of an individual. God desires that each person recognize the joy that is part of a normal daily life. Travelling, seeing new places, and experiencing different things, are great. But a return to a routine is certainly a joy. That is why, last Sunday, as the choir sang, I could sit back and say, "Ah" because the joy of the routine has again taken hold.

Bibliographical Notes:

"Keeping The Faith in Babylon: A Pastoral Resource For Christians In Exile", a weekly set of comments and reflections on the Revised Common Lectionary texts by Barry Robinson (Lion's Head, Ontario, Canada).

"Parables of Grace" a book by Robert Capon. (ISBN 0802836488)
Published 1988 by W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, MI