The Rev. Jacki BelileThose are the opening lines of a hymn in our hymnal we’ve not sung in my memory of recent years, though its inviting tune seems familiar.  TAKE A LISTEN  AT THIS LINK.

Thanks to Isaac Rhea, who will be accompanying us Sunday, for calling this lovely piece to my attention so we can share it this week. Perfect for the themes we’re meditating on this month, it also takes me to these places:

  1. What does it mean, really, to follow Jesus in our divided and challenging day? What does that mean to you?  For me, I’m grappling daily and in more explicit ways than ever on the question of what that has to do with who I am as a citizen.  I just starting a wonderful little book called What is God’s Kingdom and What Does Citizenship Look Like by César García.  I’ll keep you posted, but I think this little booklet could really frame some interesting conversations this Lent.
  2. Then there’s the poetic image of being called to be children of light. Wow.  I’m holding this as I work on this Sunday’s service at Eden and with Floyd Rueger, Pastor Noemi Meza, and Gwynne Carlson on the January 28th Ecumenical Service “Strangers No More” at Trinity Lutheran.  These two  gatherings fall within the days observed by Christians around the world as the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.”  Oh, that we would receive the light, perceive the light, allow all the Light necessary (as President Obama said  –“more light than heat”) in order to  be instruments of peace in these times of disunity.

For the sake of our meditation, here are two more contemporary resources:

“Let There Be Light” – Steph Macleod & Becky Dawson

Our Deepest Fear – Marianne Williamson

Let us journey on… followers and bearers of Light!

In Christ’s Peace,
Pastor Jacki