Monday, November 7, 2022

Opportunity to Testify

 

Note:  I’ve decided that my post on my days off (Mondays) will feature the thoughts of others who speak to me.  Today, the post is from Steve Garnaas-Holmes, a minister whose blog I follow daily. 

 

           “As for these things that you see,

           the days will come

           when not one stone will be left upon another;

           all will be thrown down.”

                           —Luke 21.6

 

On the eve of a precipitous election

I hear these words with renewed attention.

The destruction of the temple. A changed world.

A dangerous world. The loss of what we count on.

“Wars and insurrections…nation against nation..

arrest and persecution…” “This,” Jesus says,

“will give you an opportunity to testify.”

When things get dark and dangerous

we shine with light. We speak the truth.

We embody resurrection. We bear witness.

Not just with slogans, but with our lives.

Lives lived in subversive love,

with traitorous gentleness and radical courage

in countercultural forgiveness and illegal mercy.

The Empires of this world will always oppose

the Empire of God. Always. But our true belonging,

is in that Realm of Love; and it is eternal.

In the spirit of the Crucified and Risen One,

who is with us always,

we will persist.

 

Prayer:  Jesus, connect us to your “subversive love,” “traitorous gentleness,” “radical courage,” “countercultural forgiveness,” and “illegal mercy.”  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for God to guide you in your voting tomorrow.

 

Song:  The author of the post above also composes lyrics.  Below is the test of a song he wrote called “Come Gentle Jesus.”  It was written to be sung to the tune of “Fairest Lord Jesus,”  so I’ve included a link to an instrumental version of that hymn. 

Come Gentle Jesus – Steve Garnaas-Holmes (set to tune of “Fairest Lord Jesus” by David Baroni

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ea8bb2199I

No comments:

Post a Comment