Tuesday, January 1, 2008

For he said, "Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely";
and he became their savior….
Isaiah 63:8

"Surely they are my people."  Surely!  If you have ever sought to deepen your understandings of the Incarnation  -  here is something to consider.  God was looking forward to a loving, grace filled relationship with these people.

Is there a verse somewhere in your mind that personally reminds you of this? 

For me these days, it is Bishop Sharon Rader reading John 3:16-17 from her Bible, . . . not to condemn the world, and then repeating the phrase.

This globe which is our home is intended to be a good place, with love and justice abounding, a world of the redeemed.

Know this.  Know it good.  When God's people suffer, God suffers.  Says Isaiah, and he became their savior in all their distress.

Sometimes I think I can hear God sputtering.  God is not quite sure if Israel will remember what God has done for them.  You know, a little appreciation never hurts.  "I didn't just see that it was done, you know.  I took care of it myself." 

God butts in, saves these people, that is, God's people, that is, us.  For sure, they will remember.

Have you ever been in tough times?

I experienced deep exploding fear when a congregation I was serving broke out in conflict.  The whole thing wasn't rational.  For months on end I couldn't make sense of it. There was no trust.  My feelings kept getting in my way.  I was frozen in place. 

During those first weeks of the conflict, what do you suppose my most attractive temptation was?  Two worlds were clashing.  Which is the easiest world to live in?  (If you are having trouble following me here, count the capital "I's" above.)

When God's people suffer, God suffers.  And God becomes our Savior.