I spent July 4th – at least part of it – like many of us do. Listening to some good music, watching (or at least hearing) some fireworks, eating a really good hamburger.
I also spent part of the day reflecting on what we had talked about at church the previous Sunday. How we are a blessed people – yes – and how with great blessing (and resources) comes great responsibility.
It is so easy, these days, to want to run from the myriad of problems we see confronting us as a people – as citizens – and, for some, as a people of faith. The Church (note the capital C – I am talking about the church-at-large here and not just my own congregation) often struggles, pretty ineffectively, to provide solutions. At least, that’s what many Millenials, who are leaving the Church in droves, will tell you.
It can get pretty discouraging.
I suggest that all is not lost – not by a long shot. Why?
Because finding the solutions to these issues doesn’t depend on our relying on our wisdom, our skills, our dedication, or – ultimately – even on our faith (or lack of it.)
As one of our old, beloved patriarchs at Elpis often says, and as some of our youngest children often repeat, “God is God!”
I translate that to mean that if we will prayerfully turn to the living God who started all this in the first place – in time – we will begin to see answers to problems, solutions where before we only saw doom and gloom, and we will, slowly, begin to feel empowered to act as the people of God to make real differences in our world, and in the kingdom of God.
God Bless America. But not only America. God Bless Us All – Please! Let that be our prayer. Blessed not to be “better than others” but blessed to be “up to the task” -of being that light to the world, that salt of the earth, that hope, that word of grace, that compassionate act – that will make all the difference.
IGW3 - In God's Word, In God's Will, In God's Work 