" Love Wins "

 

Dear People Loved by God, 

The world’s a hot mess right now.  That’s probably putting it mildly.  There’s no question it’s HOT—climate data shows decisively that 2015-2025 was the hottest time on record in the history of the planet!  And, do you know anyone who would disagree with the assessment that the world’s a mess? 

This isn’t the first time people have thought that the world was “messy.” 

In fact, we know from reading our bibles that this whole dust-up in Jerusalem with Jesus came about because even “back then” religious people looked at the world and saw it was a mess. 

We know that wasn’t even the first time religious people had disagreements about the state of the world and worldly power; we know too many times since then, people have disagreed over politics or religion, or both—resulting in mess, after mess, after mess—including violence and destruction of life and property. 

Yet we know that God is undeterred!  We know that God saw the world in chaos and darkness—a mess—and declared, “let there be light.”  We know that our future began in those first moments of God discerning and assessing, and we know that God still holds the future, and our future, and because of Jesus …Love wins. 

My colleague Jan Edmiston, the recently retired General Presbyter for the Presbytery of Charlotte, wrote recently about experiencing a pastor leading a traumatized congregation in prayer: “O God, love us through this,” the pastor prayed.  …Jan believes deeply that God has loved us …when we feel it, and especially when we don’t! 

            “O God, love us through this.” 

There’s a lot about our world that’s deeply disturbing.  Human beings aren’t perfect.  Despite our best efforts, we lose our cool, shout unkind words, say mean things, react defensively, our frustration often gives way to anger and resentment, our patience caves in and impulse rules our hearts.  If not, sometimes we just make mistakes.  And in a world where we truly rely on one another for just about everything we need, this is bound create messiness. 

Praying for God to love us through …well, we might be better off if we started there! 

God …who loves us enough to send us Jesus.  And Jesus, who loves us enough, to …well …be the exemplar of that love in Jerusalem.  Jesus lets the world administer its messiness; and God, once more, solves chaos and darkness with resurrection glory—calling the world back from chaos, again. 

“O God, love us through this”—whether its something that you’ve said or done, or heard others say or do, or if you’re just exasperated by the ways the world is or has become—is a prayer that reminds us that Easter’s coming and has already happened. 

And …Love wins. 

You are the Beloved of God.  When you feel it; and even when you don’t.