Today’s Readings: Psalm 87; Isaiah 19:19-25; Luke 19:41-48; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Psalm 48
Last night, I started watching the movie “For the Bible Tells Me So”. In case you aren’t familiar with the film, it’s a film about how Christians have wrestled with the topic of homosexuality. The beginning of the film was particularly jarring for me for it contained clips of individuals like Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson taking VERY rigid positions opposed to homosexuality. As I watched those opening moments, I wondered: “Will we ever be able to bring segments of the Christian community (i.e. the left and the right) together when they seem so far from one another?” While the polarization of some issues might cause us to feel as if we are the first people of faith who have wrestled with that devastating sense of separation, today’s passage from Isaiah reminds us we aren’t. Those words remind us that our spiritual ancestors had deep divisions separating them as well. While many of those divisions we face today are ideological – many of the divisions they faced were national. Israel had to feel as if the Egyptians and Assyrians were as far removed from them as I sometimes feel the Religious Right is as far removed from me. And yet today’s passage gives us remarkable hope that people living their lives in opposition to one another can in fact be reconciled. In laying out God’s vision for the coming day, Isaiah points us toward a hopeful future when the author noted: “No longer rivals, they’ll worship together, Egyptians and Assyrians!” (Isaiah 19:23 from The Message). As I read those words of boundless hope and grace, I was reminded of an error that I made in formulating the question I raised at the beginning of today’s entry. I made a mistake by asking, “Will WE even be able to bring segments of the Christian community together that seem so far from one another?” I say the formulation of that question was a mistake because I do not believe WE can do that. Too many of those on the far ends of the spectrum are WAY too invested in fanning the flames of intolerance against the other side for us Christians to ever dream of coming together. Individuals have made millions selling books criticizing “the other side”, broadcasting television shows attacking “the other side”, and basically helping individuals forge identities predicated not on who WE ARE but on how WE differ from THEM. Sadly, many of these folks from both the left and the right would have no clue who they are without contrasting themselves with their opponents. That’s why I saw we human beings will never be able to overcome the divides. So am I suggesting these divisions can never be overcome then? Absolutely not!!! In fact, I fully expect all of them to be eventually overcome. The difference is in who will overcome them. It won’t be US– it can only be God. You see I believe that if God can create a future that will bring Israel, Egypt and Assyrian together; then God could certainly create a time when Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell and I can sit down together in a spirit of worship and praise. In fact, I long for that day. Today I ask you, “Are there any places in your life where you think the divisions and alienation between you and another are too great to overcome – maybe a relationship with a family member, a co-worker, or a member of your community? Have things become so bitter that you’ve given up all hope of reconciliation?” If you have, remember the radical vision of hope and inclusion laid out for us in Isaiah as we once again reclaim the conviction put forth in Philippians 4:13: we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Til next time…
Last night, I started watching the movie “For the Bible Tells Me So”. In case you aren’t familiar with the film, it’s a film about how Christians have wrestled with the topic of homosexuality. The beginning of the film was particularly jarring for me for it contained clips of individuals like Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson taking VERY rigid positions opposed to homosexuality. As I watched those opening moments, I wondered: “Will we ever be able to bring segments of the Christian community (i.e. the left and the right) together when they seem so far from one another?” While the polarization of some issues might cause us to feel as if we are the first people of faith who have wrestled with that devastating sense of separation, today’s passage from Isaiah reminds us we aren’t. Those words remind us that our spiritual ancestors had deep divisions separating them as well. While many of those divisions we face today are ideological – many of the divisions they faced were national. Israel had to feel as if the Egyptians and Assyrians were as far removed from them as I sometimes feel the Religious Right is as far removed from me. And yet today’s passage gives us remarkable hope that people living their lives in opposition to one another can in fact be reconciled. In laying out God’s vision for the coming day, Isaiah points us toward a hopeful future when the author noted: “No longer rivals, they’ll worship together, Egyptians and Assyrians!” (Isaiah 19:23 from The Message). As I read those words of boundless hope and grace, I was reminded of an error that I made in formulating the question I raised at the beginning of today’s entry. I made a mistake by asking, “Will WE even be able to bring segments of the Christian community together that seem so far from one another?” I say the formulation of that question was a mistake because I do not believe WE can do that. Too many of those on the far ends of the spectrum are WAY too invested in fanning the flames of intolerance against the other side for us Christians to ever dream of coming together. Individuals have made millions selling books criticizing “the other side”, broadcasting television shows attacking “the other side”, and basically helping individuals forge identities predicated not on who WE ARE but on how WE differ from THEM. Sadly, many of these folks from both the left and the right would have no clue who they are without contrasting themselves with their opponents. That’s why I saw we human beings will never be able to overcome the divides. So am I suggesting these divisions can never be overcome then? Absolutely not!!! In fact, I fully expect all of them to be eventually overcome. The difference is in who will overcome them. It won’t be US– it can only be God. You see I believe that if God can create a future that will bring Israel, Egypt and Assyrian together; then God could certainly create a time when Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell and I can sit down together in a spirit of worship and praise. In fact, I long for that day. Today I ask you, “Are there any places in your life where you think the divisions and alienation between you and another are too great to overcome – maybe a relationship with a family member, a co-worker, or a member of your community? Have things become so bitter that you’ve given up all hope of reconciliation?” If you have, remember the radical vision of hope and inclusion laid out for us in Isaiah as we once again reclaim the conviction put forth in Philippians 4:13: we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Til next time…
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