Let me say first and foremost, this is not a political blog. I am not attempting to sway anyone to vote a certain way regarding my own thoughts and reflections concerning faith and how one expresses faith. Okay, now that I have this big qualifier out there, I do find it interesting how we sometimes marginalize other voices when we express faith. In other words, if Christ came for all, why must we be quick to claim authority in our speech and direction regarding faith practices while condemning our fellow brothers and sisters?
Is there only one way to approach Jesus? I hope, for my own sake, that there is not. My thoughts and encounters with the Divine are experienced by me and through me. To assume my journey onto someone else’s path is not what I understand to be the central message of the Gospel of Christ. We come to Christ as we are, transformed into the image of God in our own incredibly unique gifts and graces.
The gift of salvation is offered to all of us, and as such, we do not understand it in the same way. I have no right to say that my way is the right and the only way to experience divine healing and wholeness. That decision is left up to the Holy One. Judging others is not my job. That is already taken.
Today I am grateful that God leads me to love fully and passionately. I hope to remember that the word “but” should not be used when speaking about the greatness of the divine. You know, “I love you, but…” and the litany of hate and the marginalizing of voices continue. It sickens me to hear this kind of rhetoric. God is love period. End of sentence. Praise be to God, who continues to love us in spite of ourselves.
From a Pastor's Point of View 