A Word From Your Pastor
In unprecedented and frightening times, it is the charge of the pastor to give prophetic words to her congregation. This is one of those days, and I reach out to you after a prayerful night. I reach out to you as your pastor with much love in my heart for all of you and for our community and country.
Over and over through the night, I saw the image of Jesus standing at the entrance of his beloved temple-city of Jerusalem, weeping and saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God." (Luke 19:42-44) I woke up with that same image of Jesus weeping over the city and the violence that he knew was getting ready to take place upon him. And my heart of faith in our one true Lord leads me to believe that Jesus was weeping yesterday over our capital city and nation. Jesus wept, and Jesus weeps.
I believe that Jesus often weeps on our behalf because we stifle the ability and call to live well within the kingdom of God. And while there were large crosses and banners of "Jesus saves" raised above the mobs' heads yesterday, it was NOT representative of God's kingdom, so Jesus wept. It was the antithesis of what Jesus' life, ministry, and resurrection were about. What we witnessed yesterday was not Christian in any shape or form, nor was it ordained by God. This was not a rally or protest; it was an insurrection. The very insurrection that followers of Jesus were calling him to lead that he refused, as he wept. What happened yesterday should transcend all political party allegiances in a chorus of weeping and repentance.
And Jesus wept because even in Jerusalem, he knew that words hold power, more power than a sword or a gun. It was his preaching, his WORDS, that a new movement was taking hold. It was because of powerful, transforming words that folks wanted him dead. Words, according to the Bible's letter of James, spread, and cause action. So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! The letter is full of warnings of how we use our words and how we hear others' words. This is why I have learned to wait and pray before speaking or writing a spirit-filled commentary on faith in life's events. I know that words stir up. We are living in an age when words broadcast and tweeted immediately have consequences, both good and bad. All too often, in our current world, words are used to manipulate selfish desires and not for the good of all. So Jesus weeps.
Words hold power for good. Words hold power for evil. Words should build up, bring about peace and justice, heal, forgive, and love, moving us further into the realm of God's kingdom. But words can also tear down, incite violence, hate, war, poverty, and injustice, moving us further away from the fruit of God's kingdom. Words matter. And it's not just the words we say; it's the words we don't say. Silence says a lot. It is up to us as to what the message of silence says. What we saw yesterday was manifest through words meant to divide and silence that it gave it permission. So Jesus wept.
But HEAR this also, Jesus weeps for you and me. Jesus weeps for the pain we sit in today and tomorrow, whomever we are and wherever we sit. Jesus weeps for us because Jesus is with us and loves us. So today, even as I see the vision of Jesus weeping over our country, I find assurance. It's the assurance that as we walk through this, we have the power with Jesus, to bring about the peace of God's kingdom. So may we find the weeping of Jesus both a message to confront us all to kneel in repentance but also to propel us forward as a people who walk, live, and speak the truth in love.
God's peace be with you, my family. I am here with you. May we hold our country in prayer. May we all be entwined in the loving, life-giving well of Jesus' tears. Amen.
Pastor Michelle
