I believe that one of the roots of racism and prejudice is the inherent idea that the “other” is less and can be treated as less. I think this is the original sin of our country. For me, this sin is rooted in a failure to see the Image of God in each and EVERY person. This sin is rooted in our failure to love one another – even our enemies.

This book, “Costly Love” is a good book written by a friend, John Armstrong, who has walked a similar journey as me. In chapter 5 John reminds us of the words of Luther – “From faith flows forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love, a cheerful, willing, free spirit, disposed to serve our neighbor voluntarily, without taking any account of ingratitude, praise or blame, gain or loss.”

He employs a metaphor from De Mello who maintained that a holy and loving person is like a rose. “Have you ever heard a rose say, “I am going to give my fragrance only to good people who smell like me, and I am going to deny my perfume to evil people? No, it is the very nature of the rose to spread fragrance.”

Paul talks to us of spreading the fragrance of Christ with similar ideas in mind. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the essential question is “Who is my neighbor” or perhaps better – “To whom am I being a neighbor?” The challenge, according to N.T. Wright is clear: Will you recognize everyone is your neighbor and then respond with true, unconditional and costly love?

As Americans, we are rightly concerned with individual rights and freedoms. Our country was founded to escape tyrannical governments. We have embedded in our Constitution and Bill of Rights measures to protect and ensure our freedoms. I am profoundly thankful for those.

However, I believe that these rights have become gods to us in these modern times. We have elevated individual rights above concern for others. We have been worshipping at the god of self and have forgotten the Imago Dei in us and others.

An article in Christian Century quotes legal scholar Mary Ann Glendon who calls this “the illusion of absoluteness.” In her 1991 book Rights Talk, she points out that when talk of rights turns absolute it inhibits conversation, silences responsibility, and downplays obligation toward the common good.

Rights are important. I value them and want to protect them. I am thankful to live in this country and pray we will continue to value our freedom. Scripture, however, downplays individual rights. Listen to Paul in Philippians 2:

3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus

Scripture constantly reminds us to love God and to love our neighbor. We are called to lay down our lives for each other, to walk in humility, and to esteem others as more important than ourselves. All of this is rooted in the idea of the Imago Dei. To see the Image of God in each person is to understand that as we love each other, we are loving God.

The article in Christian Century goes on:

Rights are certainly important. But there’s a reason the Bible shows little interest in individual rights. If I see my life primarily as a prepackaged set of guaranteed rights owed me, instead of as a gift of God, what motivation is there to feel deep obligation toward society’s most vulnerable? If I’m just receiving what’s my rightful due, why would I ever need to express gratitude? What’s the point of looking outward toward others if I’m chiefly responsible for looking inward and securing the personal rights that are mine?

I hear in those words the echo of 1 Corinthians 4 where Paul asks – What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Fixating on rights at the expense of love, mercy, and compassion is always wrong. May the Lord give us eyes to see the Imago Dei in each person that we meet. At no point are we freer than when we willingly and joyfully limit the expression of our freedom for the sake of another. This should inform our worship, both daily and corporately.

Some of my dear friends think Ash Wednesday and Lent are not for the Reformed church. I could write much on this idea, but want to simply focus on Ash Wednesday since that is coming in a few days.

Do we need to be reminded of our mortality? Scripture bids us often to be heavenly minded. We are exhorted to not set our affections on things on earth. We are told that while God is eternal, this life is a vapor. We are told to number our days that we might apply our heart to wisdom.

In a day when society is enamored with beauty, fitness, living longer, and a quest for the “fountain of youth”, I find the need to be reminded of the brevity of this life a very necessary thing.

I can get so focused on this life and the stuff of this world that I forget. I forget that there is an eternity to live for and to live in light of.  I forget that things and stuff are passing away, but there is that which remains.

Here are the words of Psalm 90:

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 

4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 

6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 

I read the following in a longer article on contemporary worship. The author sees the trend declining – he may be right. Regardless, I loved what he wrote about the essence of corporate worship.

It’s about the very purpose of gathered worship.

It’s about unity, not choice.

It’s about Holy Scripture, not self-help.

It’s about theology, not experience.

It’s about participation, not consumption.

It’s about liturgy, not jesusy entertainment.

It’s about being a church for the world, not getting butts in the seats.

It’s about ancient and future, not just now.

Gordon’s conclusion says it very well.

“Contemporary worship” to me is an oxymoron. Biblically, worship is what angels and morning stars did before creation; what Abraham, Moses and the Levites, and the many-tongued Jewish diaspora at Pentecost did. It is what the martyrs, now ascended, do, and what all believers since the apostles have done. More importantly, it is what we will do eternally; worship is essentially (not accidentally) eschatological. And nothing could celebrate the eschatological forever less than something that celebrates the contemporary now. So ultimately, I think the Apostles’ Creed will stick its camel’s nose into the liturgical tent, and assert again our celebration of the “holy catholic church, the communion of the saints.

I read this morning in Psalm 119:64 that “the earth is filled with your love, Lord…”

This captured my thoughts on many levels because we don’t always see the depth of this. Yes, the earth is full of the love of God reflected in his work of creation and his care for even the smallest of animals (even the squirrels raiding my bird feeder each morning).

The earth is full of the love of the Lord as I see and reflect on the beauty that surrounds me in the colors of the flowers and the intricacies of each one. God loves so much that He takes that kind of care and attention to detail. Amazing!

The earth is full of racism and hatred, killing and wars. Of that, there can be no doubt. Yet, the church has the calling to shine the light of Christ into the darkness around us. We are to live the love of God and let it fill our corners of the world. We can only do that as we see and understand that we are loved by God as His children. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!

I pray we will be captured by the love of God we are constantly surrounded with us and may we be emboldened to chase away the darkness of racism and hate with the overwhelming light of the love of God in Christ!

To my ear, there are few passages more wonderful than John 1:1-14. Yesterday I read it in The Message, a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. He has a wonderful treatment of verse 14:

The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

The wonder of this verse is couched in John’s simple beginning:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being

4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

I love Advent as it is a great antidote to the chaos of the Christmas Season. In amongst all the shopping, plans for dinners, and many end-of-year obligations sits Advent, with its call to us to wait in hope.

Advent is a call to us to wait in hope for the Christ to come again one day in power and great glory. Advent reminds us that Jesus is coming again one day and He will set all things right!

When I read my newspaper or listen to the evening news, I realize how desperately we need that to happen. Thankfully the Prince of Peace will come one day and the fullness of His peace will be realized. The lion will lie down with the lamb. Peace will rule.

Yet, the call of Advent is to wait in expectant hope. It is not a call to resignation that this world is awful and we just need Jesus to come again. It is a call to us to be people of peace, mercy, grace, civility, and justice in our world NOW! It is a call to us to wait and watch for God to break into our world today in the ordinary events of our lives.

As I find myself getting stressed and wearing thin I need this call to wait and watch all the more.

Augustine wrote: “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” He went on to write, “You called, you cried, you shattered my deafness. You sparkled, you blazed, and drove away my blindness. You shed your fragrance, and I drew in my breath, and I pant for you. I tasted and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and now I burn with longing for your peace.”

As human beings, we are all made in the image of God. We are made to commune with Him, to delight in Him, to glorify Him with every ounce of our being.

This journey of faith we are on is not about a list of dos and donts. This is a journey in which I seek pleasure in God alone. Often, my problem is that I am far too easily satisfied in this quest for pleasure. I am guilty of seeking pleasure in cheap imitations and in things that are temporary and pass away. All the while I hear Christ reminding me that there are eternal pleasures found in Him. It was for the JOY that was set before him that Moses chose the reproach of Christ and deemed it worth far more than all the treasures Egypt could offer.

May we be renewed and refreshed to seek pleasure in God alone. Let us taste and in tasting hunger and thirst for that which only God can give. If we hunger and thirst for righteousness we shall be filled!

The prayer of our Lord in John 17 is that we be one as Christ is one with the Father. Indeed, we are one in Him, but I believe this prayer goes beyond our position and embraces our oneness here in time. In John 17 and in John 13 it is clear that what is at stake in our ability to be one is the very believability of the gospel.

High stakes to say the least!

Then Paul takes a similar approach when he urges us to make every effort to keep and maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Literally, he is urging us to use every fiber of being and every ounce of energy to keep the unity of the Body.

This means having to walk in humility and bear responsibility for our shortcomings. This means having the mind of Christ and esteeming our brothers and sisters as more important than ourselves. This means forgiving others as we have been forgiven in Christ.

I am grateful to pastor a church that has a strong sense of unity and I pray we will continue to make it a high priority!

I am one of those who still fly the flag with pride. This seems to be falling out of favor among many. I fly the flag because it is a reminder to this grandson of Swedish immigrants that this country was built on Freedom. This country continues to remain the greatest experiment of human freedom. This flag speaks to me of freedom. Freedom to welcome the stranger into our midst. Freedom to have my regular haircut by an American who is a Palestinian Muslim. Freedom to remember those who died to defend those very ideals.

Now, I grant that this has not always gone well. We have abused those very freedoms we love so dearly. We have failed to honor and love those made in the image of God. We continue to struggle with many national sins and our failures are many.

But I still fly my flag. I fly my flag because it reminds me that we live in a country where we can own our failures and be called to repentance with no fear of punishment or imprisonment.

The flag I fly this week bears the names of those who lost their lives on 9/11. As I fly the flag I breathe a prayer that God might shed His grace on us and lead us with the light from above.

Yes, we often live in and react from fear rather than from faith. We are prone to seek peace through violence and find security in things rather than in God. We abandon the hungry, the sick, and the homeless and we pursue wealth at all costs. Forgive us Lord for our hubris and our short-sighted behavior. Yet you love us still.

That is why as I fly my flag I breathe a prayer that God would mend out every flaw. Our sins and our flaws are many – but God’s grace is abundant and free. May God mend our every flaw!