Dear Friends in Christ,
The first verse of Psalm 46 urges us, as people of faith, to remember how “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” These words invite us to meditate on them, and to deeply internalize the larger dimension of life—calling us to focus on the reality that transcends the difficult aspects of life experienced in this world. You and I may find these words especially helpful during these few days preceding our national election and during the days and weeks ahead.
At a time when the constant use of smoke and mirrors is wielded in an effort to confound many, the boundary between truth and untruth looks quite blurry on the surface. The denigration of immigrants serves as a prime example. When the boundary between truth and untruth becomes blurred, the principles of Scripture, particularly the eternal principles of love and justice, which call people of faith to act with love and fairness, recalibrate our vision and understanding.
In regards to the immigrants in our midst, Scripture is clear. Leviticus 19:33-34 states: “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” And, Matthew 25:35-36 calls our attention to our duty to be kind to the “stranger” and all who are disenfranchised: “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’” Living the life of faith, the way of love, is inconvenient and arduous.
In the midst of anxiety, the means of grace such as prayer and worship and fellowship, gifts given to us for our edification, can help us remain steady and effective in the midst of life’s numerous storms. I therefore invite you to join me for a brief service of prayer via Zoom this Sunday afternoon, November 3, at 5 p.m. The link to access the service is included below this message.
Lastly, because beauty is so often another means of grace and inspiration, I want to share with you a link to a video that features both the beauty of music and that of young persons from several countries around the world, including Haiti. The violinist, who happens to be a young woman and an astronaut, is performing from space as she is joined from earth by the young artists. I hope you find in it a reminder that there is still so much goodness in the world, that God has given us all abundant talent, and that it is possible for diverse peoples to come together and do things that revive the human spirit. May our spirits be reinvigorated by the gift of beauty, and may we continue to attune our hearts to God’s eternal principles of love and justice.
In Christ,
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUude2opz4pE9JECvXiGOt2RYmjqQ5bVJo3#/registration