Epiphany

January 9, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. –Acts 10:34-39a

Humans seem to have a need to show partiality, however, God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears (God) and does what is right is acceptable to (God). I just read a quote of Jimmy Carter’s: The U.S., he noted, has only enjoyed 16 years of peace in its 242-year history, making the country “the most warlike nation in the history of the world,” Carter said. This is, he said, because of America’s tendency to force other nations to “adopt our American principles.” *

As a nation the USA totters on the brink of massive war all the time. Wealth results from our military industrial network. The United States spends more on defense than the next seven countries combined**. We build war machines while other countries surpassed us in infrastructure, health care, and other quality of life issues.

God created a world of diverse people who engage with God and with each other in ways differing and God saw that all of that was good. The time is now for us as a nation to seek common ground among our neighboring nations near and far searching for the Common Good for all and to turn our weapons into plows and pruning hooks . (See Isaiah 2:3-4)

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our foolish ways*** that cost us dearly and yet always leave us unsatisfied. Heal our waring madness**** and send us forth as a light of love throughout our world. Amen

*https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-jimmy-carter-china-war-infrastructure-economy-trade-war-church-1396086
**https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison
***Derived from the hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
****Derived from the hymn God of Grace and God of Glory

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.