Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Praying for Our Enemies



Christ tells us to love our enemies and pray "for them that despitefully use you" in Matthew 5:44. Nowhere does he ever tell us to pray for ill to happen to an opponent. Yet, Senator Coburn asked that his supporters do that on the Senate floor before the vote on health care reform. Whatever your belief about the rightness of the bill, no Christian should pray for misfortune on another. That some did is horrible.

The evidence for that is the video above where a caller wants to know if his group's prayers for the death of Senator Byrd have backfired and killed Senator Inhofe. Senator Barrasso assures him that Senator Inhofe has not expired and simply missed the vote because he knew it was a lost cause. Senator Barrasso evidently thinks that it is normal to pray for an opponent's death since he takes the caller's comments in stride and responds only to the question as to the health of Senator Inhofe. He does not address the question as to how hard he prayed for Senator Byrd's demise. Altogether this exchange is spine chilling.

When we pray for our adversaries, we are to pray for the best to happen to them. This is difficult to do. C. S. Lewis wrote that one way to deal with our anger toward another who has wronged us is to pray for their well-being. I did this a number years ago. I don't know if the praying helped the one I prayed for, but I know that it extinguished any hatred and anger I had toward this person. There lies the answer. Christ's instruction leads to our own well-being.

Christians must never pervert prayer for an evil purpose. To do so denigrates God and eats away our souls. My prayer for those that wished ill for Senator Byrd is simple: "Please God, bathe them in your love. Amen."

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas Eve at a Baptist Church


I took my aunt and cousin to the Christmas Eve service at their Baptist church. The service was lovely and included lighting of the candles of Advent. More and more Baptist churches are returning to some of the rituals that were tossed out in the radical reformation.

My family has observed Advent for years. I usually pick up a daily devotional for Advent at my local Catholic bookstore. Those daily readings help us focus on the meaning of Christmas amidst all the bustle.

The Christmas Eve service included a short sermon. The minister focused on the Second Coming. I believe that is a very cogent topic at Christmas. Many Christians never think about the Second Coming, even though many writers in the New Testament are consumed by the thought of Christ's return. Paul believed Christ would return at any moment and wanted all Christ's followers to be prepared. Only with the death of the apostles did that emphasis lessen, but it never went away.

The sermon was short but to the point until the end. There the minister stumbled into the end time theology currently in vogue. The pastor spoke of a man waking to find that the Rapture had begun and believers were being swept up into heaven ( at another time I will tell you why I do not believe in the Rapture). Christ looks at this man as he pleaded to go to heaven, too. The minister said sadly it was too late, Christ left without this sinner. I believe that is a horrible way to portray Christ.

Jesus is God in action. Through this manifestation of God we all enter his presence. He would not abandon any one that sought help. No one will ever be left behind who desires to be with God. Only those who knowingly reject God will be excluded. This means you know that God exists, know his will, but choose to go your own way. These people are not condemned to hell but to death; they cease to exist,

God, the Trinity, wants all of us to join him. He never gives up. Creator, Comforter and Son: "I am love in action."

Photo by rutlo (not the church attended)

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Sears -An Unrepentant Scrooge

I went to Sears to buy some Christmas ornaments and a nativity set for a gift. I also planned to buy some last minute gifts in the jewelry department and shop for clothes for myself.

No luck!

Sears does not carry Christmas decorations or nativity scenes. Sears wants your money but does not want to enable us to celebrate the season. Obviously, Scrooge has moved into corporate headquarters. I was informed at my store that it was a corporate decision.

I bought nothing at Sears and will not shop there after Christmas.

A corporation that says "Bah humbug" to Christmas does not deserve my business.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Christmas without a Home

This will be the first Christmas in over thirty years I will not have a church home. This Christmas may also be the first without a house to call my home. Either event would make me sad, together they are devastating.

The church that I helped start has changed beyond recognition. While I can find no fault with its new outreach to young adults, I can find no comfort in the worship service. My one haven has been my Sunday School class, but that group has changed even more. I suspect that in response to some of the attempts to make the church more up-to-date and diverse, that the members of my class have retreated to traditional Southern Baptist beliefs. One of those beliefs says that mental illness is a result of weakness, sin, and a lack of faith. Since I have been fighting depression, I have been excluded from the class. Oh, when I miss class for several weeks, someone will email me to say they miss my comments in class. Never do they inquire about my well-being or say that they are concerned about me. When I told some of the class that I was no longer going to attend, the relief was palpable.

One member had the audacity to say the misery I'm suffering is the Holy Spirit leading me somewhere else. I do not believe God inflicts suffering upon us. Some cite the book of Job as an example of God allowing the devil to infest our lives with ills. Those that do ignore the history of the book The earliest version of Job deals with suffering with no explanation for it, only that it is the way of this world. That version clearly indicates that there is no connection between a person's worth and what happens to them. The beginning and end of Job were added much later by scribes who needed an explanation for suffering that was not provided by the original book. Jesus made clear that evil consequences were not the result of personal sin when he spoke of a tower's collapse that killed eighteen people. Jesus said "Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you , Nay."

Advent began on Sunday. I will celebrate the promise of the coming of God with prayer. I will listen for the still, small voice to lead out of my long night.