Man proposes but God disposes
It is not our achievements that matter but the breath-taking works of the Lord. Because we are his children and fellow heirs with Christ, empowered by God, we are able to achieve more than we could ever accomplish by ourselves. Christ has left his peace with us, so we need not be troubled or afraid.
(Ancient Christian Devotional, Year C)
We beseech thee, O Lord,
Let the power of the Holy Spirit be present with us, that he may both mercifully cleanse our hearts and protect us from all adversities, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(The Leonine Sacramentary)
Genesis 11:1-9 NRSV
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So, the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore, it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Human sinfulness now burst all limits as man tried to trespass on God’s realm by building a skyscraping temple. Mankind was scattered across the face of the earth and linguistic diversity, which impedes cooperation between peoples, was introduced to prevent any further human efforts to storm heaven. Babylon was famed for its temple tower or ziggurat, whose foundations were in the underworld and whose top was in the heavens. Babel means ‘gate of god’, and Babylon considered itself closer to god than anywhere else on earth. It regarded itself as the religious, intellectual and cultural capital of the ancient world, the showpiece of human civilization. ‘Rubbish’ says v. 9. Babel does not mean ‘gate of god’ but ‘confusion’ or ‘folly’, and far from human wisdom, Babylon’s ruined ziggurat shows human impotence before the judgment of God. Put in modern terms, the building of the city and tower may be seen as a human bid for self-achieved security on the basis of technological progress. ‘Man proposes, but God disposes.’[1]
Chrysostom
If you are anxious for undying reputation, I will show you the way to succeed in being remembered for every achievement and also, along with an excellent name, to provide yourself with great confidence in the age to come. How then will you manage both to be remembered day after day and also become the recipient of tributes even after passing from one life to the next? If you give away these goods of yours into the hands of the poor, letting go of precious stones, magnificent homes, properties and baths. (Homilies on Genesis)
Grant, O Lord, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your providence, that your Church may joyfully serve you in quiet confidence and godly peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
(Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 2019)
Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Corinthians 4.15).
[1] Gordon J. Wenham, “Genesis,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 69.
