November 11th - Reflection

Romans 1:18-25 (NRSV)
The revealing of God's wrath

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Reflection
Once we believe we know all about God, we have sinned. We can't know all about God. We are the created and God is the Creator. God has created you and me and all that exists. Through creation we begin to get a peek at God. But God saw that our weakness was ourselves. God saw that we sinned in our understanding. God saw that we would always be lost.

So God revealed himself in the created. God became like us in Jesus and came to us in a way we could begin to understand. God showed us the Creator and the love that was poured out in our creation was once again poured out into our world. God, in and through Jesus took on our sin; died for our sin, and saved you and me from our sinful selfish selves.

The arrogant are led to believe that God and his Church serves themselves. The arrogant begin to believe that the Church is their right to God. But as the Creator became the created, we begin to see that the Church is formed through the power of the Holy Spirit active in the lives of God's people. The children of God through the gifts of the Spirit and the loving action of the Savior, unite into one body which become the Church of God, the holy catholic Church, the one Church. A Church not ruled by any individual creature, but a Church founded in the love of the Father, through the Son, with the Holy Spirit for the children of God.

So, we become united in our personal relationships with our Savior, Jesus Christ, with each other, in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through the love of the Father for all creation. Relationships both very personal, yet corporate as well. A Church united as one! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I give you thanks that you have revealed your righteousness through faith. Not faith in the action of myself or my neighbor, or anyone claiming your wisdom, but faith that comes through Jesus Christ as revealed in the Word. Forgive me when I stray and lose sight of the unity only you can bring to your Church and teach me to always focus on the way of faith that comes through Christ alone. --- Amen