Ephesians 2:14 “For [Christ] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both
groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility
between us.” -NRSVue

Ephesians 2:14 “For [Christ] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both
groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility
between us.” -NRSVue

Greetings Friends and Neighbors,

Recently, I have found myself avoiding the news. The world news is full of reporting about war torn countries conflict zones, mass shootings, the climate crisis, and impending famines. The weather has wreaked havoc across the United States, and the globe, leaving entire communities devastated. And then there is all the reporting on politics and the upcoming presidential election.

The current U.S. political playbook seems to be, tear down your opponent by any means necessary. Visions for the future, or meaningful plans for dealing with the challenges ordinary citizens face in daily life are sorely lacking in our current political discourse. The idea that our government is to work for the common good of ALL of its citizens seems to have been replaced with the desire for power. The language used by many of our politicians, and their followers, has continued to become more extreme, violent, and dehumanizing. And then, this past week, there was an assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump. It seems there is little “good news” to cling to.

Each of us have overlapping identities, for example: parent, child, sibling, employee, business owner, volunteer, Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc.. To state the obvious, we don’t always agree, and often, we don’t always understand those we disagree with. But when we separate ourselves and refuse to speak respectfully or listen from a posture of curiosity and a desire to truly understand each other, divisions are deepened. Our relationships become strained and broken.

Turning to scripture, the writer of Ephesians is especially concerned that power is grounded in God’s love as revealed through Christ, rather than in the human “rulers and authorities” of this world. The power that the world strives for is a false power that has little to do with God’s desire for all people to thrive. Ephesians also reminds us that our primary identity is as God’s beloved children. Our worldly identities are secondary to our identity as God’s people.

Thankfully, as followers of Christ, we don’t depend on the world for our “good” news. No, as followers of Christ, our Good News is that God has adopted us and given us new identities as God’s beloved children. We have been reconciled to God in Christ, through the Holy Spirit. As God’s beloved children, we are called to participate in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation. We are to reconcile, even with those we disagree with and to be agents of reconciliation in the world! We are called to lean into Divine Love and let our hearts be transformed so that we have the strength and courage to make every attempt to repair the breach in our relationships. As God’s people, we are heirs to the kingdom of God. A kingdom of peace and love as revealed to us in Christ’s life, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

When the news of this world threatens to leave you hopeless, remember that Christ is our peace, and has made us, all of us, into one. Christ breaks down dividing walls and heals the hostility between us. Let us pray for the strength and courage to live into our call to be agents of reconciliation in the world.

Servants Together,
Pastor Karen