Joshua 5:9-12

Year C - Lent⁴ or Conviction⁴

March 6, 2016

Joshua 5:9-12

Do you have a Gilgal place, a rolling-away place, a transition place from basics to abundance?

This pivot point turns us from lost to found. It is a stone-circle decision place to take responsibility for the future.

It is at Gilgal that we return to Adam’s work of tilling the land and watching over the crops and environment within which the crops grow. There will be sun and no sun, rain and too much rain, drought and even more drought, bugs and crop-eating animals that will fertilize and take their portion. This time and place is also a Gilgal place where we are called to take responsibility for the well-being of today's commons.

As you listen to political ravings loosed from any grounding in facts, know that there are many who still think we will again be bailed out by manna. But it has stopped. We either take note of the work ahead of us or we will simply fail again—this time being our own worst enemy as our own little fascists use unfettered mammon/capital and ungrounded freedom to so divide us that we will no longer be able to stand.

Today’s political dangers bring back to mind Saul, a first king that G*D says will be your downfall. Saul was confirmed as king at Gilgal and also rejected there. [Here is a "rolling-stone" article about a possible equivalency.]

Gilgal stands not simply as a place of celebration, but of great prophetic warning. Try setting up a circle of twelve stones (more or less) and place yourself within that circle. May it be your listening place where you are able to cut through all the utter nonsense of an electoral season to hear where the commons needs repair, gather your courage, and hie ye hence to bring what healing you can.