Devotional/Discussion thoughts for the day….

²⁷  God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God. ²⁸  So we preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature individual in union with Christ. ²⁹  To get this done I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me. Colossians 1:27-29 (TEV) 

224         It’s intolerable that you should waste your time with “your own silly little concerns” when there are so many souls awaiting you.  (1)

I received an invitation yesterday to fill out a barna survey.  Thouh I usually trash such invitaitons, I took this one, and it got me thinking.

You see – it was all about politics and the pulpit.  Questions about would I preach sermons specifically on various issues, from gun control, to civil disobedience (required byt he gospel?) to homesexuality and abortion and immigration reform.  THey wanted to know whether I thought of myself as a conservative, and whether I agreed with the Tea Party or considered myself part of that group.  It also asked to what extent the church would be involved in voter registration drives, encouragin people to vote/ assisting them to get to the polls, pand other forms of activism.

I will probably skew their polls incredibly.  Because while I am a conservative in many of the above topics, I do not believe that any of them is so “concerning” that it should become the sole topic for a time set apart to help people know God.  Using St Josemaria’s quote – though I am not sure the concerns are silly, they are small compared in view of people needing to know God’s love, and to introduce them to Jesus, who will transform their lives, and give them hearts and quicken their souls.  That’s the purpose of preaching – as Paul so adequately tells the church in Colossae.   It’s abot knowing Jesus,a nd His love…

That is why we don’t have a church that is all Republicans, or all Democrat, or all Tea Party or Green Party.  Every member of every party and every independent needs to know Christ far more than they need to know how to vote.  They need to begin to understand how hide and wide, how deep and broad God’s love is.  They need to know that God gives us faith, calls and empowers our repentance, and comletely makes us His own.  That’s what I am called and ordained to provide them – the knowledge that they are in the presence of God.

He gives us peace…. even when the world is, as it always seems to be, falling apart, the sky crashing down on us, and the sea storms ready to overwhelm us.

even when “the othe party’s guy” sits in the chair and supposedly has the power to make decisions.   God’s still in charge my friends,,,, see what Joseph realized in Gen. 50:20….

And even when the other guys are in power – pray for them, as much as you can – live at peace with them…and avoid despair by knowing the Lord is with us…

That’s our message – one every needs to hear…

Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator), a 6th-century encaustic icon from Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai. NB – slightly cut down – for full size see here (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(1)  Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). Furrow (Kindle Locations 1137-1139). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

I suppose I

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