Kingdom Building
August 21, 2019
Scripture Reading: Psalm 71:1-6
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress, to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.
Does the spirit work through stomach acid? I do not know how many times recently; I have popped antacids in my mouth from feeling that burning sensation after hearing about something happening in our world that should not happen or nothing happening in our world that should should. Of course, these should and should nots are based in my opinion. I find it particularly sickening when either the should and should nots are done in the name of God when they are, in my opinion, as far from God as they could possibly be. How do we discern the will of God objectively separate and apart from our opinions? How do we do that as individuals and as communities of faith and in dialogue with the diverse world in which we live including various faiths and no religion at all?
The issue that gives me the most heartburn is the definition of being one in Christ, which is one of the most important tenets of my faith. I define being one in Christ as the diverse world finding common ground based in love that wants the very best for each person and all people. Common ground for the Common Good is essential for all to be fully the persons God created us to be and for the world to flourish as the amazing ecosystem in which we dwell together. Others seem to interpret being one as making everyone like them. And still others interpret being one as an exclusive group of persons chosen by God. If you make it into this group anything that you do is OK, and others may not matter.
As we struggle to find our identities in God’s service, we are allowing, even causing, the earth to die around us, children to die of hunger and disease or having their potential altered by too much lead in their water, and all kinds of violence from wars to mass shootings to domestic abuse.
I like the definition of shame as being guilt turned inward. Sorry, I do not know its source. The Psalmist above prays let me never be put to shame, which based on this definition of shame means that we are called by Christ to do everything in our power to accomplish the good and eliminate evil.
Prayer:
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.