01-07-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 8, 2021
Scripture: Psalm 22:24 (the Message)
The Lord has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; God has been right there, listening.

Thought for the Day: With everything that happened at the Capitol in D.C. on Wednesday, I was yanked in another direction a short time ago by the number of deaths and hospitalizations from COVID. Within a 48 hour period, nearly 8,000 people in the United States died of COVID. Those numbers, alongside all the other chaos in our nation, makes me feel very uncomfortable with the last few words of the scripture: God has been right there, listening. It makes me want to scream, “Do more than listen! We need more than a good listener in this moment.” And then as I settle back down again, I realize that 80% of the problems we currently face (Bruce’s guess) have not been caused by some great outside force or something beyond our control. We have ignored the common sense recommendations of experts, while promoting cousin Vinny’s antidotal claim that he read on his Facebook feed. We have tolerated everything from outright hatred to the casual disregard of human life and suffering. In creating us with free will, God provided us an amazing gift, but a gift that assumes we take responsibility. And something a bit more than a responsibility to self. We not only can do better, but we must! God is not only listening, but watching… and reminding us that we have a very clear mandate to be the agents of real change in our community, nation and world. Let’s get to work, making sure love, justice, kindness and equality are the goal and the path to the goal.

Prayer: 8000 members of the human family have died in this country in two days! It didn’t need to be this way. Forgive us for our selfishness, Lord God, and then call us to step up and live as those who represent your great vision for all creation. This can be a moment when the love of Christ is manifest for all to see and experience. Let it be so! Amen.

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