More than a statue

“As a shepherd seeks out the flock when some in the flock have been scattered, so will I seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered during the time of clouds and thick darkness.” (Hebrews 12:1a, CEB)

Along with thousands (millions?) of others these past few days, my family made a pilgrimage to Wrigley Field last Saturday to take some pictures and soak in the post-World Series jubilation. For Cub fans (and people who jumped on the Cub bandwagon like me), the Cubs’ win over Cleveland was a welcome respite from election polls/commercials/news.

I’ve been to Wrigley several times over the almost 25 years I’ve lived in Chicagoland and it’s still a treat every time I go. In addition to the uniqueness of its being plopped down in the middle of a bustling neighborhood, the park reeks of history from the bricks and ivy to the statues of Cub players (and Harry Caray) outside. The shot above is of Mr. Cub himself Ernie Banks and you can kind of see that some fans had left roses at his feet, in celebration and in memory of his impact on this organization. Statues like this one are wonderful ways to remember and pay tribute.

As I was taking the picture above, it struck me that some believe that their faith is kind of like paying a visit to a God statue. The statue is bigger than they are, there may be a bit of awe when they approach it and they feel compelled leave an offering of sorts. Unfortunately, when they leave the statue, they probably believe that they’re leaving God behind, too.

Compare this to the image of God in Ezekiel 34:11-16. I was reading this passage the other day and I was struck at how many verbs there were. Over the six verses, there are 19 verbs communicating God (described as a shepherd in this passage) doing something. Seeking. Rescuing. Gathering. Feeding. Strengthening. This is no statue. This is a God who is intimately and actively involved in the lives of the flock.

I sometimes fall into the God-as-statue trap, too, and forget that God is at work in many and mysterious ways. That gives me great comfort on this very important day in our country. This God of healing and justice will not be silent or on the sidelines. And this very active God wants us to follow this lead.