Good morning Children of God!
We are greeting yet another day in which we will experience the nearness and power of our God. I hope you find time to bask in his blessings for God is good. Here is your Wednesday Message:
Wednesday’s Message
June 10, 2020
OUR GROWING SEASON
We are now in the season after Pentecost. It is the longest season in the church year and will not end until our celebration of Christ the King on November 22nd. Coinciding with our agricultural season in North America, it has come to be known as the season of growth. During this season, the color of the paraments adorning the chancel of the church is green, the color of growth.
The growth that we anticipate in the long season after Pentecost is spiritual in nature. The Holy Spirit has prepared the human heart to receive the seed of the word of God. That word is planted in us as both Law and Gospel. The Law teaches us to love God and our neighbor. The Gospel assures us that through Jesus, God loves us and our neighbor with undeserved forgiveness and eternal life. God’s plan for us is that his word will take root and grow in our hearts producing spiritual growth and a harvest for him.
Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” (John 15:16) The fruit produced by spiritual growth is faith in God; a faith which is active in love. (Galatians 5:6) The Holy Spirit has taught us that as the message of the Law and Gospel is received and nurtured, it will make a difference in how we live our lives. The fruit from this growth will endure because faith and love make a lasting difference in the lives of others and consequently society at large.
The love which is the fruit of God’s word is the basis for social justice. The prophets of the Bible were shaped by God’s word and were speakers and doers of that word. They stand even today as a collective voice promoting fair and right dealing within society. Amos is considered one of the leading voices in this regard. His most famous pronouncement is “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24) But it is the prophet Micah who summarized the prophetic message by saying, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
As I observe current events in our country and around the world it is clear to me that we are in a growing season with respect to social justice. The sustained protests that have been taking place are an unmistakable cry for fair dealing with the public by those with power. Recent polling reveals that a majority of Americans are growing increasingly concerned with powerful systems and individuals which comport themselves in a manner that is unjust and wrong. Too frequently, power is wielded to the detriment of the poor and disproportionately afflicts minority populations.
I grew up in a time and in a household where I was taught that the protesters were the “bad guys.” In 2020, the peaceful protesters include my own children. As I listen to them and learn from them, I have grown to appreciate their commitment to what they believe is fair and right. It is a commitment based in love and in the tradition of the prophets of old. I have come to believe that they are bearing fruit because they have been influenced by the word of God.
It makes sense to me that people who are growing in their capacity to love God and neighbor will increasingly take note of inequities and foul play within society and peacefully seek to make needed corrections. Because of that, I pray that everything being experienced in this growing season after Pentecost 2020, will serve to strengthen our faith in Jesus, thereby making us all the more active in love of God and neighbor. Love, which is expressed in many different ways, is what is needed in order to make the United States a more perfect Union.
Love caused Jesus to bear the cross. When people of love oppose unjust and powerful systems they frequently put their lives, livelihoods, and reputations on the line. The sacrifice and suffering that is experienced in the process is redemptive. It changes things. It makes a lasting difference in the lives of others. It makes a lasting impression upon parents! I’m not sure how my parents would feel about their grandchildren peacefully protesting in public, but if they knew it was because of their love for God and neighbor, I assume they would not object.
When our growing season ends in November, I fully expect a burst of Thanksgiving for the harvest which has been made possible by our God of love. I look forward to the blessings which come with spiritual growth; the blessings of justice, kindness and humility before God.
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Bill