Friday, 9 April, 2004

We continue with pieces from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.



We belong to several groups or assemblies within our communities. Here is an ancient example:

Ancient Christians themselves knew about this double character of their communities. One anonymous second – or third-century Christians wrote about his or her co-religionists: “Living in Greek and barbarian cities…and following the local customs, in clothing and dwelling places and the rest of life, they demonstrate the amazing and confessedly unexpected (paradoxon) character of the make up of their own citizenship. They are at home in their own countries and they endure all things as foreigners. Every foreign country is their homeland and every homeland is a foreign country.”



We are a different assembly…alien in some ways to the world around us. It is odd to me that in our own country, Christians want to be considered the norm…the standard of citizenship. Though I don’t put much thought into the all the battles about God being used in mottos or the pledge of allegiance to the U.S., I don’t see the point. Yes, I think we are blessed…but so are all of God’s people even when they live in what we might call “God forsaken” places (although I do not think God has forsaken any place…God is there in its forsakenness). We are not people who are to receive special consideration…special notice…special power within the governments of our world because we claim Jesus as Lord. If anything, it might fit us best if the governments looked as us with a bit of suspicion. We obey the laws of the land, but when they try to pull us from the gospel center of our faith that embraces the welfare of all…we go to the cross.



Connection: It may be very difficult to see ourselves as aliens to our culture and all of its trappings. And yet, when we gather for worship, it is within the sanctuary of time and place in which we expect only the grace of God to rule in our lives. That may indeed cause conflict as we head out the doors. It may also send us out as a strange gift to the world we encounter.



Lord God of all that is, it is by grace that you send us out and make us your people. Help us as we attempt to clarify the way you lead us as aliens in this time. Amen.