God Believes in Us - August 4

Today’s Readings -  Psalm 78:1-39; Judges 7:1-18; Acts 3:1-11; John 1:19-28

Every so often, I’ll witness our youngest son do something that seems completely out of character. For example, after not making his bed for two years I walk in one morning and his bedroom is neat as a pin. As his parents, one or both of us has said, “Who are you and what have you done with my son?” We say it tongue in cheek of course, but it’s remarkable how someone can morph into a new version of themselves, to appear to have drastically changed. Sometimes it’s not so much that we’ve changed but that we’ve grown into who we were all along. For as long as I can remember I’ve thought I was shy – I've been told I was shy until as an adult I realized it’s not so much that I’m shy as I’m more of an introvert than extrovert. I can be as social as the next but it’s not always how I prefer spending time.

 In today’s gospel reading from John we’re hearing about the very beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry. Unfortunately, after his birth, John kind of falls off the map. His parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were given a foretaste of who he would become but then the next time we hear about John he’s a grown man who’s been living in the wilderness, eating locust and honey, and now he reappears, seemingly out of nowhere, proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

 Jewish priests and Levites from Jerusalem seek him out to ask, “Who are you?” They’re understandably skeptical. Anyone who knew John as a child might wonder, “Who are you and what have you done with John?” It would take a lot of confidence in your beliefs to take this bold of a step.

 I recently read about a woman who has written a memoir that demonstrates how one person holds intense grief alongside a deep faith. In her moments of doubt and despair she is reminded as she says her traditional Jewish morning prayers that “God has great faith in me.” Rachel Goldberg-Polin explains that she’s always liked the idea that God believes in us. I was struck by this thought and immediately knew this is what I, we, need to adopt as our mantra. That we are children of God. That God believes in us, has great faith in us and with that thought, believe that no matter how daring or risky a step in faith may feel, God believes in us, God has faith in us. With God in our corner, so much more seems possible, less risky. It can be incredibly freeing to realize this and to be able to live into what we are called to do as God’s children, as disciples of Christ.   

 Faithfully,

Sally+

Questions for reflection and challenge - What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?  Or if you did, no matter the results God was with you, believing in you, Cheering you on? Who would you be? Would you have chosen a different life’s path? What can you do, beginning today that yesterday you may have been hesitant to try?