Good morning to all on this beautiful Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Thomaston and will see Aleron a little later. We were visiting with Freddie and his family last weekend and were able then to drive down to Ft. Lauderdale to see my sister Velma, Michele, Marco and Kenzo. The practice has been very busy with sick little kid who have the flu and Strep throat. Hope this day finds all of you well. If you haven't seen Selma you are missing a very wonderful movie and depiction of the struggle for African Americans to obtain the right to vote. It brought back many memories. Additionally, wasn't our President wonderful last week during the State of the Union message. So eloquent and foresightful and what a contrast to the GOP leader who looked like he had sucked on a lemon. I was reminded that God does not like ugly--He is not too fond of pretty either.
I am continuing my journey in Romans 13 verses 1-14, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
Having just told you to go see Selma and reading this chapter I had to stop and think about what Paul was writing. I also remembered that Paul was brought up in the tradition of Mosaic Law and I am conjecturing that Paul , in general, is telling the Jews of that era to be obedient to governance which is I, believe, consistent with the will of God. I do believe the institution of government is ordained by God and I also believe that men can corrupt the institution as established by God. There was a law in Paul's era that dictated that a Roman citizen could command a Jew to carry his burden for 1 mile. Christ came and told the Jews to then carry the burden for 2 miles. The point Christ was making was that the Roman law was in authority over you for the 1st mile, but then you were in authority the second mile. I think the gist of what Paul is saying is that we should be obedient to laws of governance because not to do so creates chaos. He however does not say that corruption should not be challenged or changed. Clearly, during the civil rights era, the law of the land was not at fault. The law dictated that every citizen of these Unites States had the right to vote. How local officials interpreted the laws were wrong and corrupt. The movement challenged the inhumanity of those southern bureaucrats and rightly so because those bureaucrats did not demonstrate the greatest commandment to 'love your neighbor as yourself".
We are all living in the greatest country of all time. We have one of the greatest Presidents of all time and we have a congress that will not praise him or support him because of the color of his skin. This sickness of racism is ruining our country. Pray for our President and then work against the poison of racism that prevents many people from being the human beings that God created. If we truly practice the greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves, this sickness that pervades our country would be healed. We are all God's children. We are all sinners saved by Grace and to the extent that you can address this issue in the confines of your life then please do so. Remember, to know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to serve Him. To serve Him is to love you. If you are holding a grudge against someone, then just let it go and love them. If you can't extend the love of God to someone who does not look like you, then ask for God's forgiveness and go and love that person. If you are withholding your love from your spouse for something your spouse did, then go and love your spouse. Love will breakdown any barrier that exists.
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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