We begin with a piece from “Ethics” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
It is evident that the only appropriate conduct of (humans) before God is the doing of (God’s) will. The sermon on the mount is there for the purpose of being done (Matthew 7:2ff.). Only in doing can there be submission to the will of God. In doing God’s will (humanity) renounces every right and every justification of his/her own; s/he delivers him/her self humbly into the hands of the merciful Judge. If the Holy Scriptures insists with such great urgency on doing, that is because it wishes to take away from (humanity) every possibility of self-justification before God on the basis of his own knowledge of good and evil.
When we act, we act with a boldness that trusts that our God is the one who will judge and no one else. We trust that our God is a merciful judge. Therefore we can boldly love…take love to the limit in our lives…act…do what is defined over and over again as love within God’s Reign. Paul Tillich writes of love being the power that reunites that which is separated. Can we boldly love…actually do it…actually engage one another as though the division between us is no more?!?! I would hope so. Can we also then know that even though we may be despised as lovers of “them” we boldly continue to love because God first loved us and we are God’s children – heirs of love? I would pray we would. I find myself suffering from the greatest wounds to my heart when I catch myself in the act of being less than a lover of myself and others. Believe me, it is a daily catch. And yet, the love of God for me…and you…is the power to bring us to life again and do life…do a loving life…boldly.
Connection: Be bold…here and there…throughout the day. Be reminded of the merciful Judge who is pulling for us and walking with us…for life.
This is the day that you have made, O God, and we give you thanks for placing us here to be a part of your gracious creation. Lift us up that we may see the way of your loving Reign as it comes to us this day. Amen.
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