Pastor’s Page The Waters Kept Rising October, 2005
“But now thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, the
God who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
called you by name, you are mine. When
you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they
shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. For
I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of
T.V. commentators and political leaders
alike repeatedly said, “This is a disaster of Biblical proportions.” Insurance companies immediately classified it
as “an act of God” while the waters kept rising along the Gulf coast of our
country. We helplessly watched our T.V.’s waiting for somebody to do something as people in
In fact, those waters had been rising for
a long, long time, although many of us hadn’t realized it. The predictions had been there for
years. This city with its rich culture
and diverse peoples had been built on swampland along a coast plagued by
hurricanes. In another time or place, a
flood may have been a beautiful act of nature, but there were people living
there! The waters of disaster rose over
the years as leaders failed to take decisive action to steer human development
into safer directions. This city had a
levy system that had needed attention for a long time. The waters rose with the failure of will and
resources to strengthen this protective barrier. This city has mirrored our nation with its
growing gap between rich and poor. But the waters rose silently and steadily as
the political and economic will failed to make reforms and failed to reduce the
education and income gap between black children and white children.
Democrats point the finger at Republican
tax cuts. Republicans point the finger
at a failed Democratic welfare system.
The
But who points the fingers at
themselves? Am I willing to offer my
political freedoms and economic resources to God’s service and pray, “What
would you have me do, oh God?” Jesus saw
that waters of indifference were rising in his own time while leaders and many
common citizens were still convinced that the levies were holding and that God
would save them from the consequences of their unloving and unwise
choices. When Jesus drew attention to
the rising waters and the many forms they took, leaders and common citizens
united in pointing the finger at him and pointing their weapons at him,
too. He could have escaped, but Jesus
chose to stay with those who could not flee the rising waters. He reminded them that God’s love was for
them, too. He didn’t escape by
helicopter or boat. He endured death by
crucifixion. It still serves as a reality
check for us today. Through that event
and the resurrection that followed, God revealed that there truly is another
way to move through the waters.
Maybe it is simply easier to point the
finger at God and wait for God to act.
Maybe it is easier to listen to the voices telling us that the levies
will hold and that the gaps aren’t as big as we fear. Maybe it is easier to offer our money and
prayers to clean up the mess after the waters rise too high…. Meanwhile
the waters of indifference continue to rise.
Join
the Micah Movement
Where is God
moving your heart to make a difference in the world… not out of guilt, but out
of love? The Micah Justice Team invites
you to join the Micah Movement. The
prophet Micah heard God calling people to “do justice, to love kindness and to
walk humbly with your God.” Simply
receive council authorization to coordinate one justice-oriented event which
mobilizes congregational involvement, and you are part of the Micah
Movement! See
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