Once a year, I preach at the Korean Congregation of the Rhine-Main region. Even now that I’m retired. So today I was a guest in Frankfurt, Worms and Mainz. Three places of worship — one congregation.
The first service is at 10.30 am in Frankfurt. Afterwards, I’ll be joining Rev. Kang at the Lutherkirche in Worms, where the second service begins at 1.30 pm. The day concludes with the service at 4.30 pm in Mainz-Kastell.
Today’s service focused on comfort and hope, and on our images of God. The starting point was the sermon text from Isaiah 66:10–14a
“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; …“
https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.66.10-14.NIV
These are beautiful images of God’s closeness and God’s power. God is present and walks with us. As human beings, we can only speak of this in images. These images express very different experiences of God and reflect various aspects of God’s actions. The Bible is full of such images: God as Father, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer. We are also familiar with God as Lord, as the Creator and Ruler of the world, from many texts. And in the Book of Isaiah, God as a woman in childbearing or as a comforting and protective mother. Fortunately, the Book of Isaiah uses a striking number of feminine images of God and of comfort and security. I preached on this today, and Rev. Kang took this up in the liturgy.
After the services, I enjoyed many conversations with familiar faces from the Korean congregation and savoured the delicious Korean food.
