The Reign of God as beginning here. If you have any comments - adebelak@redeemerluth.com . The Reign of God as beginning here starts with something as simple as a thought. Maybe it is with something as simple as a small act of mercy or kindness or solidarity with someone left out. Maybe it is with words that offer encouragement and hope to another person. I watched a video of a council man in Texas who spent fifteen minutes at a council meeting telling his story. He had heard about too many GLBT teens who took their own lives. The pressure was too great for them - the verbal abuse - the rejection - the loneliness - the ridicule - the inability to 'fit in' to the dominant culture that usually is not very kind to any minority. So he spoke up to offer a story of someone who was able to grow up in such a world - and make a life that was creative and wonder-filled. The Reign of God as beginning here is when each of us does that - when we become the voice and action that brings hope to the world around us - a hope that opens up the future. There are too many voices that sound like hell and to make matters worse, they sugar-coat their hell with religious words - even when there are enough of us to say those hell-bent words are not a part of Scripture. And where they may be there for some folks - it is not consistent with the word of grace that is the hallmark of God's Reign dripping from the fullness of Scripture. The Reign of God as beginning is also the reality of the end - the word of grace never changes even when we try like hell to turn it into a bit of hell on earth for those folks we don't like - cannot understand - fear - or simply want to have someone to blame for anything that may be wrong in the world. When the Reign of God starts to smell and sound and taste like hell - it is. The old word used here is 'repent' - that is, turn and grab hold of the real Reign of God that is beginning here - right here. O God of love and new life, shape our lives by the power of your Holy Spirit that we may be for the world a living word of hope that is able to ignites hearts and bring peace to all. Amen. |
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