The Reign of God as reconciliation. If you have any comments - adebelak@redeemerluth.com . The Reign of God as reconciliation is like creation taking place over and over again. Each time there are acts of reconciliation, new life is born - a new world takes shape - that which was not may now be. The Reign of God as reconciliation takes a great deal of imagination and then, the life that is open to live into that which has been imagined. Yes, warring parties can become friends. It is not easy and I'm not sure how it moves step-by-step. And yet, there is the promise - always the promise. I'm struggling again with the recent violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The fingers point back and forth. Both sides talk of retribution and revenge. That way of thinking and acting has done nothing to bring about shalom - nothing. When we allow ourselves to be ruled by violence and the cycle of violence that is as easy to keep going as a ball rolling down a hill, we will remain far from reconciliation and therefore also far from the domain of God's Reign. No matter how religious and faithful a group says it is - no matter how often they call on the name of their God, if there is not reconciliation we never enter into God's Reign. Instead we stay back and even use our religious language and understanding to bring about everything except peace and reconciliation. O God of love and new life, our warring ways are ways that are too easy to follow. Guide us into conversations and acts of reconciliation and peace. Amen. |
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