Sunday Blessings
My God said
"In the midst of your storm"
He said
"In the midst of your storm"
He said
"I'm gonna have my way"
He said
"I am God
And above me there's no other"
He said
"No weapon
No weapon formed against me
shall ever prosper"
- Potter's House Mass Choir
As I drove up to my church today, I saw a man standing on the corner holding two enormous signs, each at least four feet tall and three wide. One sign had an enlarged photo of an aborted fetus and the other had some words on it denouncing the pro-choice stance. As I turned off the boulevard and onto the side street I saw a van parked on the street in front of the church (about 10 yards from the corner) and it also had large signs propped against it on all sides with more photos and wording.
Now regardless of my personal feelings about abortion and if I would ever have it done, I was offended. And I was even more offended that the people had decided to set up in front of my church as if we supported their actions (if not their sentiments). I was concerned that passersby on the boulevard (one of the busiest in Denver) would assume we, meaning my church, had placed the demonstrators there. It didn't matter that my church is one of the largest, if not the largest, and wealthiest Black churches in Denver, and that the demonstrators were white. I just didn't want anyone to think for a minute we had anything to do with that.
I also didn't want any woman or man who may have made the decision , for whatever reasons, to have an abortion and were coming to church to be discouraged. Church, in my opinion, should be a safe haven. A place where we all can come, admit we are all sinners in some way, and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Sin is sin - one is not worse than another. God don't like any of it. Period. The end. But he does forgive if we repent. Who are we (men and women) to tell someone their sin is worse and/or unforgivable than our own?
So I started my church service not in the best of moods. But today one of my "children" delivered the sermon. He is a young man I had in the youth ministry when I was a counselor/coordinator. When I met him he was in middle school. I worked with him in bible study, a Rites of Passage program, the choir, and other youth fellowship programs all through high school and into the beginning of college. At the age of 18 he was licensed as a minister and now at 21 (he just turned 21 in October) he's still in college, engaged to be married in April and preaching the Word of God. (And preaching it with force and conviction.) I am so proud of him.
As a teacher I've had the joy of seeing my first group of 8th graders graduate from high school. I've buried one student. Gone to court over and seen a couple of students go to prison. I've coached pee-wee games, middle school games. Attended high school games. I've been to recitals, baptisms, quinceneras, trial sermons, track meets, tennis matches, baseball games on and on. And even when I felt like screaming, giving up because they had given up on themselves, I remember the joy, the laughter and the smiles of seeing them go on. And I remember my charge - "Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he grows old, he will not depart from it." Today I saw my "son" speak the word of God and he blessed me. The student has become the teacher. Hallelujah!
It is always good to hear one of my peers doing something positive, especially from an older adult. Young adults are always presented as doing something negative. Older adults have seem to have lost hope in us. I am glad to hear that you have not.
Posted by
Anonymous |
6:02 PM, January 25, 2006