Chaos, Upheaval, & the Light of God

On Tuesday I wrote my “Notes from the Journey” article for the January Waymarks. It was a reflection around the theme of the new year dawning. I tried to balance looking back at the dramatic and tumultuous year just past with a hopeful look ahead because God has been and continues to be present with us. I wrote, “We can’t always (or hardly ever) control what happens to us, but we can choose how we will respond, and when our response is shaped by an awareness that God is with us then we are well on our way to a fuller, richer, more abundant experience of life.” And I concluded by saying, “Happy New Year everyone! I am so excited to find out what is even now unfolding!”

That was on Tuesday. And then Wednesday happened and we all witnessed the chaotic and violent upheaval which unfolded in the very heart of our national government. I still believe everything I wrote on Tuesday, but the events of Wednesday cry out for something more. What shall I say? I am dismayed beyond words that it has all come to this. I feel outraged, but even more I feel profoundly sad. And there is a sense of everything swirling out of control on a scale that I can barely begin to grasp. What we are witnessing is frightening and threatens to shake us to the very core. And yet, I also know that we have access to something far greater than the darkness which seems so ominous. As I wrote in an email I sent to the congregation, “In this moment there is little we can do, but what we can do is powerful. I invite you to be in prayer – for our nation, for our leaders, for law enforcement and National Guard personnel, for all those in harm’s way. Please join me in praying for peace, and calm, and safety for all. May order be restored and justice embraced. May our leaders be blessed with wisdom and courage as they stand to take appropriate and necessary action. May love and understanding and compassion and peace restore sanity to our world.”

I do not know how all of this will play out. We are in uncharted waters. But what I do know is that we are not on our own. God is not through with us yet. There is a path forward, even if we cannot yet see more than a few inches in front of us in this moment. In the days and weeks and months ahead I invite you to be in prayer with me that God’s Light might illuminate our way, shine in our lives, and heal our world, beginning with us. As we step into this new year, may the crisis we are currently facing prompt all of us to recommit ourselves to finding a better way – a way which is shaped and defined by the sacred values of peace and love and compassion and understanding and mutual respect. Please be in prayer with me that we will allow God to guide our steps into a brighter future, for our community, our nation, and our world.

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)