I met a man today at SYNOD who reported many moments on the threshold of suicide.
17 years ago a baby was born. Her mother was not married to the father at the time, though they did marry later and had other children. they raised them in a loving Christian home.. I was pastoring a conservative evangelical church that had a group of deaconesses who dod not want a rose to be put on the altar as it seemed to them that such an action would condone sexual activity outside of marriage.
17 years ago a baby was born. Her mother was not married to the father at the time, though they did marry later and had other children. they raised them in a loving Christian home.. I was pastoring a conservative evangelical church that had a group of deaconesses who dod not want a rose to be put on the altar as it seemed to them that such an action would condone sexual activity outside of marriage.
I choose as a pastor to confront this narrow mindedness and placed a rose on the altar and dedicated her to the Lord as well as her mother. God's love looks beyond the condemnation and condoning that we as people get caught it. God and our church celebrated life and love on that day.
I really do get that we can sometimes inadvertently and unintentionally condone things but condemning a child seems ludicrous and libelous. God's love is greater than the condemning heart for God knows all and still loves (I John 3:20).
Not long ago, I received word that this beautiful, promising, loved young woman took her own life. I know nothing of the reasons for or the details of this act and I do not need to know to express the challenge to the church to love through the agony of suicide. I know suicidal parts in all of us are the result of hurt and pain that we feel hopeless and helpless to overcome, in fact those feelings are actually overwhelming. Two years ago when my brother died suddenly and my professional colleague both died suddenly I entered into a place of deep and dark despair in which I had a suicidal part that at times seemed overwhelming. I know the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. I, most importantly, know that God is the God of and for those who feel hopeless and helpless. God is love.
17 years later in a different way I stand up for her life and her love for and of God. the God of love and grace has welcomed her into his glorious heaven because that is the nature of God to do. "For I am persuaded that neither life nor death, not anything in this world or the next shall be able to separate me form the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"(Romans 8:38-9). I place a rose in my mind on her yet again. Standing for a God of love and grace who wraps her and all of us in "arms of love"
Life is temporal but love is eternal. Life is fragile but God's love is faithful.
That is independence day. Free at first and free at last.
That is independence day. Free at first and free at last.
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