What About the Rabbi

Remembering the Rabbi today; I often think of Rabbi Goldstein.  An active part of the Port Arthur minister's association.  The first time I attended, he  was to talk on roots of the Christian communion in Passover.

Dr. Goldstein was a Holocaust survivor, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of History, and working on a fifth doctorate. 

80 years old with the energy of an athlete at 40!  He had a deep sense of history.  Always drove that insanely long Chrysler, and a little careless about things like traffic lights and stop signs.  Always in a hurry.

Why write about him?  Because at least once a year, it is worth tapping into the beliefs of every ancient religion (and precisely Judaism):  the "remembered ones" are really still around.  Whenever we find one connector, like a holocaust survivor, history shortens and gets closer to us.

Why write about him?  Because a very provocative realization came into a conversation yesterday!  If Jesus was (and is) "the Word made flesh", and the Word was available within the Old Covenant, and to know the Word is to know God, and no one comes to God except through Jesus who IS the Word, then............... God's action is not limited to my awareness.  In other words, God is doing lots of things that I simply don't know about, and some of those things reach specifically and clearly outside the walls of the church.  

What do I "do" with the Rabbi?  He doesn't fit the language with which I was brought up.  But, the Rabbi is "brother" in some difficult-to-express manner.  I don't understand it all, but there is a clear sense that I should remember him with a special kindness, because that's how God deals with all of His covenant people, whether I understand it or not.


The conversation had to do with a friend who is Jewish by tradition, but doesn't believe in God.  The question was:  "Is there hope for that one?"  Well, condensing the Covenant, God made an eternal covenant with His people, promising to be faithful to them.  If they are not faithful to Him, historically, He waits and remains open to them.  All sorts of things happen in that waiting, as God wants to restore covenant.  Jesus is the total expression of that ancient covenant, the Word-made-Flesh, God with us.  


And that triggers more mystery than we sometimes think, but it is a mystery WITHIN the certainty of the love of God for His people.
The "family of God" is chosen by Him, without consultation with me.  Like Jesus said, He has other sheep in other folds.  In all of this, there is the sense of a very large door swinging open, almost soundlessly.  And behind that door?  So big!

I couldn't answer the question exactly as it had been asked the other day, about "the friend" and her status before God.  Her status in God's eyes is pretty clear:  God is waiting on her, and still offering the relationship.  And there is a peace in that!