Devotional/Discussion Thought of the Day:

 ¹ GOD spoke all these words: ² I am GOD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery. ³ No other gods, only me. Exodus 20:1-3 (MSG)

 For the last week, I have been as angry as I can get, saddened by an action taken, that I can only describe as wrong, as a cruel betrayal.  From my perspective, the betrayal is heinous, as hideous, and all the more, it was unnecessary for any action to be taken.  I am still trying to chart a course that will allow me to speak clearly and confront it, even thought I presume it will not matter.

It probably doesn’t help that in the midst of this, I have been helping people deal with the death of loved ones. Death has a way of putting things in perspective, of causing us to realize how incredibly helpless we seem to be, of how life is still but a mystery, and death, a great equalizer.

As I prepare for another memorial service today, of a man who was one of those guys, that pastors need, someone who allows us to be…human, to be ticked off, to blow off steam and to work together, I started to wonder…

Why do we so need to play God?  Why do we expect that we have a right to righteous indignation (are we righteous enough ourselves in the first place?), to strike out with wrath, to get vengeance (and revenge).  Haven’t we had to face our own failures?  Don’t we realize we deserve wrath?  Don’t we gather on Sundays (at least some of the time) to celebrate that we have been shown mercy?

We don’t have to play God – don’t we realize we have One?  One who delivers us from truly righteous indignation, the One who has the right to wrath, and would so easily pass on it, so that He could embrace us as His children, give us comfort and peace, and walk with us, sharing every moment of every day, pointing out the blessings that He created, and reminding us that His greatest masterpiece…. 

Is His people, reconciled to His, made part of His family, welcomed into His presence.

Lord this day, help me contemplate how to address that which has been done that is evil, not to pass judgment on those who took part in it, but to heal its damage, to depend on you to see created an atmosphere where forgiveness is sought, where mercy is dominant, where love prevails.
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