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Hello St. John’s Family,
Last Sunday I shared a few words on the then-upcoming election. I offered that, whatever the election’s outcome is, 50% of us will be happy and 50% will be hurting. I was off a little, as the president-elect looks to have closer to 51% of the popular vote, but I think you get the gist. Many who read this note do so with a celebratory spirit, and many others do so with a hurting one.
As people of faith who have committed our lives to follow Christ Jesus, we believe and trust that God is with us always, in all times and situations. Yet in deeply conflicted times like this, it can be hard to sense God’s presence at this particular moment. Where is God when so many of us stand on opposite sides of this outcome? And how do we move forward in a way that’s honest and faithful? I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I believe our first steps are centered in 3 words: hope, love, and prayer.
We begin by entering each new day in hope. Hope doesn’t mean we deny our concerns or fears. It doesn’t mean we neglect our wellbeing, especially if we’re struggling. Rather, it means we place our trust in God, who is constantly working to save and renew. Christ proclaimed “I am the resurrection and the life” in the face of hopelessness and death. There is no situation God cannot renew - that is the source of our hope.
In hope, we turn to the guidance of Christ, who taught us to love and pray, particularly in conflicted situations. In Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount” he says:
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Full disclosure: I hesitated to share this, as it seems to suggest that opposing sides are enemies, or even evil. I do not believe that. I believe, in most cases, we have far more in common than we realize. Yet this is how opposing candidates and parties have painted each other, isn’t it? In our area, we’ve been bombarded with messages for over a year pointing to the opposing party as a mortal enemy, and I sense we’ve started to believe that. As followers of Jesus, we are called to yield those feelings to God in prayer.
Yielding feelings of heated opposition toward others enables us to pray for the benefit of all people. It opens our heart to the realization that Christ, the resurrection and life, can and will work to renew this broken time, even in the midst of significant differences. It opens our hearts to genuinely love and care for others – including those whom we pointedly disagree with – and ask God to attend to… even bless them. In other words, it allows an opening in our life to allow the kingdom of heaven to break in.
I recognize this is a tall task; one that will take time. Yet I believe this is the only way that meaningful healing and positive change can occur. I ask that we are humble and gentle with each other, mindful that one person’s joy is another person’s struggle. This isn’t a time for gloating or lashing out in grief; it’s a time to seek God’s presence in hope, pray for the benefit of all people, and love others according to the example of Christ. You have my commitment to walk with you as we seek to do that together, guided by the words of the prophet Micah:
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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