Onward - from the beginning From Yesterday: I want to hold onto God's love as the beginning. It is the power that moves us into creativity. It is the power that builds up and is able to open up that which was closed or appears to be closing down. In so many ways, we do not have much proof of the existence of God's love. Already in the beginning of this moment, we know of lives that are broken and relationship that are filled with more separation than unity. Despite the visibility of warfare and threat and coercion that makes today seem as though there is no possibility for a beginning to erupt among us - or the possibility of God's love to be a reality we can enter, we are encouraged to hold onto that which was in the beginning and is about to begin yet again - now. In our faithful story telling, I see this God who holds on to us before we think about holding on to this power of love. For in the beginning God's love already has us embraced and is whispering notions of peace and comfort and reconciliation into our hearts. For as much as I want to hold onto that love - that beginning, I am a part of that power by the sheer fact that I am here - now. The beginning power of love is the sustaining power that is hope that is always shaped by love. In my faithful imagination, God is completely vulnerable from the beginning. Why take the time to create - why invest in something over which you are not going to want complete control - why call everything good even when everything is about to stumble? The love of God is vulnerable from the beginning. I don't think many folks like this kind of vulnerable God. This is a God who creates and then really takes a chance with us. From the beginning we can be and do as we please - and we do. Adam and Eve take the lead on this. They go ahead and eat. They go ahead and seek to take the wheel and drive things in the manner of their choosing. God does not put a fence around that 'special' tree in the garden. Rather, God seems to go off and take a nap. God is vulnerable to the ways we will go. And yet, even when we choose to be like God and spend each day of our lives trying to be in control of the world around us - and even the world of others - God remains vulnerable. This beginning vulnerability is the shape of God's relationship with us all along the way. At the beginning of each moment we are invited to trust in this God who is willing to be crushed by us - again. That invitation into the garden of 'trust in God alone' never ends. Connection: Trusting in this vulnerable and loving God builds us up to be a people who are willing to settle for the embracing love of God. From that embrace, we can face anything within the day. From that embrace, we have enough. O God of love and new life, we are ready to be whipped up into your presence - that same presence we call Spirit or New Life. Amen. |
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