The In and Out of Faith

Luke 18:1-8

“Pray always and do not lose heart.”.

Jesus of Nazareth was a man of prayer.  Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus praying.  He goes away to a mountain or a quiet place to be in prayer.  He prays as he casts out demons and heals people.  Throughout the Gospel of John, he is in regular dialogue with the Father.  He teaches his disciples to pray.

Prayer is the heart of the Christian life.  Our faith in Jesus draws us deep into the faith of Jesus.  We pray alone in our rooms, listening for the whispering of the Holy Spirit.  We pray together in times of worship and praise.  We pray for those in any need, and for the healing of the world.

“And will not God grant justice to his chose ones?”

Jesus of Nazareth was a man of justice.  He reached out with compassion and care to those who were rejected and shunned in his society.  He challenged the power and perspectives of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the scribes and the rulers of his day by proclaiming the Reign of God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.  He taught his disciples to care for the sick and the naked, the hungry and thirsty, the imprisoned and the stranger.

For Christians, working for justice means more than just jumping on the bandwagon of the latest issue to come down the road.  It means doing all we can to discern and practice the will of God and the way of Jesus in both our personal and public lives.  It means striving to embody the Reign of God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness in the midst of all our relationships and as we engage the brokenness of our world.  Working for justice is about persistence in our efforts to change hearts and minds and systems of power and privilege that perpetuate that brokenness.

Faith draws us in to the depths of who we are as God’s beloved children.  Faith drives God’s people out in loving service as God’s ambassadors of reconciliation in the world.   Without the Faith that draws us inward, we lose our moorings and can get lost in the turmoil of the world.  Without the Faith that drives us out, we lose our mission and can get lost in our own selfishness.   Faith gathers and sends, gathers and sends, gathers and sends God’s people.  This life of faith isn’t always easy, in fact, it can be a real struggle!   But, in this way of life true joy can be found.  Why?   Because it forever turns around the Word of God which is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Peace,

Bishop Mike

Thank-you for reading!