*Originally published to ECC on June 15, 2020
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15
Last week I said that one of the things we can do in response to injustice to our brothers and sister is to love our neighbor, starting with our literal neighbor. But, in a sermon there is limited time to explore what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.
One thing I heard from our brothers and sisters at Damascus International Fellowship is this, mourn with us first.
As I ponder this, I think to myself: How profound! As a husband and as a father I have learned an important lesson about love I did not learn as a single. When I love someone, then I care about what they care about. I’ve come to appreciate my wife’s music as well as my kids music (well, most of it). I’ve come to share their interest. And when they are happy, I am happy. When they are sad, I am sad. I have come to identify with them.
This is what our black brothers and sisters are talking about. Come, sit with me, feel what I feel. Identify with me!
There is something very profound about this. We can, intellectually understand. We can feel anger or sadness inside, from a distance. But, when I identify with my neighbor, I feel with him and her and I care, really care.
Recent events have caused me to dig deep, to understand what is going on in our country, particularly to the black community, not just the Christians. This has moved me. Of course, I am not in their shoes, nor are you, but we can begin to understand, to feel, to care.
Yet we are limited. Because we are limited, we need God to help us to come alongside and identify. That is why we need prayer. We can say: God, show me where the injustice is. Help me to mourn and to hunger for true righteousness, feeling what you feel and to coming alongside my brothers and sisters as we seek your righteousness together ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’
Tonight, 7PM, we have an opportunity to come together and practice this.
This will be a time of prayer and lamenting. What is lamenting? In the bible, laments are honest prayers of pain. “How long, O Lord!” is a lament. Telling God the sorrows and pain we or others experience is lament. Crying out to God about the wrongs we see and experience as fellow members of His family and beyond, as fellow humans, is lament. This is healthy for our souls and good for the broader kingdom of God today.
We need God to help us feel for His children what He feels. We need God to enable us to love with His love, for ours is inadequate. We need God to empower us to act on his behalf, according to His way, for all: regardless of skin color, gender, social class or age. We need God to come along side our brothers and sisters who are hurting (partly because they feel alone in their struggle). There is strength in fellowship. So, come, let us mourn with them. Let us pray.
Be aware that zoom only allows us 100 attendees so share computers/phones when safe, so as many as possible can join and pray.
I encourage you to meditate further on this with 1 Corinthians 12:12-26.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor MacDonald