Pastor Kerry Luke 6:27-31

Good morning. Welcome to Thursday, September 11th.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse
you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and
from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your
goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have
them do to you.” Luke 6:27-31

There are two things I want you to know before reading today’s
devotion. The first is that I am very well aware that today is
September 11th and I am very well aware of what is on the minds of
all of us in the United States today. And the second is that I am
using a list of Bible passages this week that have been assigned as
daily readings in the “Prayer 21” program our congregation is doing
with our young people.

This means that again today I am experiencing what so often happens
when I am preparing for Sunday worship using the Bible texts assigned
to that particular Sunday – the remarkable way that the Holy Spirit
both challenges and comforts us through the power of God’s Word.

Today our nation remembers the heartless and merciless deaths of over
three thousand people – trapped in the stairwells of two remarkable
buildings that no one could conceive of toppling, let alone in front
of their eyes so quickly, trapped in an airplane flying over the
beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania, trapped at the desks and the
hallways of the Pentagon. Over three thousand people who were guilty
of nothing more than being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Killed by men in a cold, calculating manner who, there is little
doubt, sincerely if insanely, thought they were doing God’s will.

Those horrific scenes, on that otherwise normal Tuesday morning, are
etched in our memories. They still speak to us, but what do they say?

Immediately they gave rise to a bloodthirsty cry for revenge. I
remember my racing heart as I listened to the reports while driving
down the interstate through Houston. I remember thinking, “This
feeling I have is the reason why men like me raced to the recruiting
offices on December 8th, 1941.” Those scenes told me that morning,
“Something horrible has happened and something has to be done.”

But I, like most Americans, did nothing but plan a prayer service.
There were some who mistreated Moslems in an twisted expression of
collective guilty, but not many. And there were some with the power
to unleash the power of our military and they did so quickly. Too
quickly. And there were others who had volunteered to put themselves
in harm’s way out of duty and patriotism and the promise of a better
life once their service was through. And they did what they were
told.

Now here we are this Thursday morning, remembering again that darkest
of Tuesdays. Two wars still raging. Tens of thousands dead. Over
4000 American soldiers, all doing as they were told to do. Billions
of dollars spent and billions more yet to spend. And what are we
learning? What voices still speak to us? Which ones do we heed?

There is one voice that still speaks as it has spoken all along. It
comes to us like that still small whisper outside of Elijah’s
hurricane troubled cave, out of the terrifying wind comes that voice.
It comes to us through God’s Word, spoken from the lips of Jesus,
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse
you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and
from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your
goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have
them do to you.”

Let us pray: Dear Lord, today is a day of grief and mourning. For
those whose earthly lives are gone forever and for those still
mourning their loss. For the brokenness of the human community and
for the many ways we pervert our faith to justify our most vile
hatreds and prejudices. We pray today for those whose lives remain
on the line, for their safety and for the advent of peace. And we
pray that your Spirit might work in the lives of those who turn to
you in prayer, that love might conquer hate and fear. In Jesus’
name. Amen.


________________
Pastor Kerry Nelson
http://www.fitandfaithful.com
http://www.covenantlutheran.org

Permission is granted to use these devotions any time, in any way you
wish, with no need to attribute anything to Kerry.

To see an archive of previous devotions, click on
http://www.ymlp87.com/pubarchive.php?RevKerry