“Teacher- teach us to pray as you pray to the Father….. And Jesus said: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And deliver us from evil. Amen. “
A few Sunday’s ago, we found ourselves in the wake of an attempted assassination of a human who was campaigning to become the presidential nominee to his political party. In the wake of this, we find ourselves, as people who follow The Way of Jesus Christ, at a loss of how to “BE” in the world today.
I remember that Sunday morning. We talked about being BRAVE. We read the stories of Puah and Shiphrah, the midwives to the Hebrew women who chose to tell a bold faced lie to Pharoah in order to save the babies they were helping to birth rather than slay them as they were instructed. I cannot imagine their bravery.
How is it that we can be brave today? As disciples in the world, we are called to love ALL PEOPLE. We are called to do the thing that is not popular. We are called to pray. (This is an excerpt from my message on Sunday July 14th).
When we say together: (paraphrase of The Lord’s Prayer)
God – You are the one I love and the one I respect above all others – your name is everything holy and good.
Your kingdom is here, and Your will is all that matters to me – here in this place and in the hereafter in heaven.
Take care of our needs, food, shelter, warmth and please forgive me of the wrong that I do… and I will forgive those who do wrong to me.
Above all please shelter me from this world and all its empty promises and from the Evil One who roams. Amen. (pause)
When we say these words together - we are brave.
We are like the midwives – Puah and Shiphrah – ushering in the promise of new life TOGETHER… because we are connected by the divine love of the Holy One.
When we say “no” to the things of this world that cause division and violence – we spread the divine love of the Holy One.
When we stand for one another to build a beloved community where there is room for everyone at the table – we spread the divine love and the message of Jesus Christ.
When we pause to pray for the hearts of all leaders and future leaders of all countries – no matter their politics - we spread the divine love of God in Christ who calls all of us Children of God.
Make no mistake – evil will always look for opportunity to divide us, to try to scare us, to attempt to steal the braveness we find as part of our identity as God’s children.
But, like Puah and Shiphrah, we have a superpower grown in us through the power of the Spirit of God.
We have faith.
We have a God revering faith that calls us to usher life into this world, not snuff it out through thoughts, words or actions.
We have faith in God who can soften ANY heart to fulfill the will of God.
So, I invite you to join me in a practice of faith.
For the next 3 ½ months, pray.
Pray for all leaders and all politicians no matter their politics.
Pray for our country and for God’s hand to calm the mighty storm that seems to continue to brew.
Pray for yourself, that you might hold your tongue when you are tempted to share misinformation or disinformation.
And above all…. Remember who holds the planets in their orbits and who makes new life sing out of the womb…
And all God’s people said: “AMEN!”
In love and light, Pastor Perrie
