Notes from Jan

Holy Healing

November 8, 2016

 

Voting day.  Soon, hopefully, an un-civil war will end, depending on how well we deal with winning or losing. After months of being bombarded with wounding  words and images, we’ll need holy healing.

Cornel West wrote on November 3rd, “The most frightening feature of the civic melancholia in present-day America is the  relative collapse of integrity, honesty and decency–an undeniable spiritual blackout of grand proportions.”

No matter who wins, our country needs men and women of  integrity to bring Light into this “spiritual blackout.”

Joining a Bible study at our church turned into a balm for election woes.  Flying through the Old Testament in twelve weeks teaches nothing’s new about human behavior and nothing surprises God.

Part of this week’s lesson’s on Samuel, telling God,  Israel wants a king, to be “like the other nations.”

In Buechner’s Listening to Your Life, he writes,  “Israel wanted security, clout, a place in the sun…when God’s demands seemed too exorbitant, God’s promises too remote, she took up with all the other gods who still get our votes and our money and our 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. energies, because they are gods who could not care less whether we are holy or not, and promise absolutely everything we really want and nothing we really need.”

Like looking into a mirror.

After Israel gets the king with consequences, the people plead with Samuel to pray for them.  The scene moves me, old  Samuel praying for repeat offenders,  people who prefer a king to him, and lesser gods to God.

No matter today’s outcome, it’s my hope and prayer, we’ll wake up Wednesday morning with a desire to be part of the healing, to love each other,  care, be respectful,  kind, and rediscover the worth of working together for the common good.

Holy work.

Holy healing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 Comments

  • Reply Valerie McCoy November 8, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    And then there is the plea of Lin-Manuel Miranda, as he accepted his Tony Award for ‘Hamilton’.
    “… and then there is love, is love, is love”.

    May it be said of us, no matter tonight’s outcome. Thank you Jan for your wise and thoughtful reminder.

    All the way from Anguilla this week, where the people continue to ask Peter and me, “do you so proudly hail from your United States of America?” Yes, I reply, even at the twilight’s last gleaming.”

    Much love and embrace to you Jan!!

  • Reply susan November 8, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    Holy work, indeed!

  • Reply wendy lane November 8, 2016 at 6:29 pm

    Yes and AMEN!!!! <3

  • Reply Nancy Sheys November 8, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Great illustration of people wanting what others have. A little off the subject, I voted this morning with my husband. It is such a privilege. Why, then, do I feel and know that I voted for an ungodly and corrupt person and feel so sad about it? What can one say to that? I pray to God that I did what He wanted me to do.

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