Exodus 4:10-13
But Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.” But still he said, “O my Lord, please send someone else.”
I mentioned last Sunday that I had attended an ordination service the previous day. I have been thinking ever since about the whys and wherefores of the kinds of things we do in churches. The service of ordination, for example, involves a number of promises made by the one being ordained, by the officials who speak and act in the name of the church, and by all the rest of us – all those there to witness this Call and Answer.
There are multiple occasions – such as baptisms and ordinations -- when “the rest of us” play a role much larger than simply being “the audience”. We are there to give our affirmation to the event taking place, to offer a free-handed welcome, and to pledge our continuing support to the one taking on a new role.
Many folks, I suspect, would, like Moses, feel suitably aghast if one day God were to demand that they – individually -- become God’s spokesperson. There are times we are comfortable wearing our faith publicly, and times we might prefer to be less public about it all. Not that we are ashamed or embarrassed but just that we don’t feel up to the challenge.
Here is where being part of a church community can make us feel more able to state our faith aloud because we are not alone, but part of a larger group. Somewhere in our world, God’s love has made a claim on us. It is entirely within reason for us, in return, to show our own claim on that love – as individuals or as members of a group.
It seemed to me that here at the beginning of a new year is a good time to remind ourselves – again, individually and as a community – of our own commitments, by reading aloud together our mutual Affirmation of Faith:
This is a group commitment – our claim on who we are. We enter into this pledge as the many, not just as “Jesus and me” so, in that way, this is a pledge – not just to the church – but to the life we live in Christ together. Our membership in a church community is another pledge that we seek to live as Jesus calls us to live – together.
Living out our life in Christ within a church community is not, of course, the only way we can fulfill this promise. There are many places, many occasions for us to choose living as Jesus calls us.
We live in a world filled with reminders that God is everywhere. When we look out a window in the early morning and see the world painted with a color that defies definition, we understand that this is a way of God saying, “I love you,” to us. When faced with issues of loss of loved ones, we may be led to remember that God is always with us.
There are so many times and ways to be aware that we are connected with God, whether we are alone or in church, whether we find ourselves in nature or in words read in a book, or finding love in the simple affection of a beloved animal friend, or just sitting in quiet prayer.
Public, unified prayer, is simply one reminder that we are never alone and when we join with others, we lift not only those “others” but ourselves into union with that One, that Spirit, in which we “live, and move, have our being.” And how grateful we should be to find ourselves there.
There are multiple occasions – such as baptisms and ordinations -- when “the rest of us” play a role much larger than simply being “the audience”. We are there to give our affirmation to the event taking place, to offer a free-handed welcome, and to pledge our continuing support to the one taking on a new role.
Many folks, I suspect, would, like Moses, feel suitably aghast if one day God were to demand that they – individually -- become God’s spokesperson. There are times we are comfortable wearing our faith publicly, and times we might prefer to be less public about it all. Not that we are ashamed or embarrassed but just that we don’t feel up to the challenge.
Here is where being part of a church community can make us feel more able to state our faith aloud because we are not alone, but part of a larger group. Somewhere in our world, God’s love has made a claim on us. It is entirely within reason for us, in return, to show our own claim on that love – as individuals or as members of a group.
It seemed to me that here at the beginning of a new year is a good time to remind ourselves – again, individually and as a community – of our own commitments, by reading aloud together our mutual Affirmation of Faith:
- As members of the Christian Church,
- We confess that Jesus is the Christ,
- the Son of the living God,
- and proclaim Him Savior and Lord of the world.
- In Christ’s name and by His grace
- we accept our mission of witness
- and service to all people.
- We rejoice in God,
- maker of heaven and earth,
- and in God’s covenant of love
- which binds us to God and to one another.
- Through baptism into Christ
- we enter into newness of life
- and are made one with the whole people of God.
- In the communion of the Holy Spirit
- we are joined together in discipleship
- and in obedience to Christ.
- At the Table of the Lord
- we celebrate with thanksgiving
- the saving acts and presence of Christ.
- Within the universal church
- we receive the gift of ministry
- and the light of scripture.
- In the bonds of Christian faith
- we yield ourselves to God
- that we may serve the One
- whose kingdom has no end.
- Blessing, glory, and honor
- be to God forever.
- Amen!
This is a group commitment – our claim on who we are. We enter into this pledge as the many, not just as “Jesus and me” so, in that way, this is a pledge – not just to the church – but to the life we live in Christ together. Our membership in a church community is another pledge that we seek to live as Jesus calls us to live – together.
Living out our life in Christ within a church community is not, of course, the only way we can fulfill this promise. There are many places, many occasions for us to choose living as Jesus calls us.
We live in a world filled with reminders that God is everywhere. When we look out a window in the early morning and see the world painted with a color that defies definition, we understand that this is a way of God saying, “I love you,” to us. When faced with issues of loss of loved ones, we may be led to remember that God is always with us.
There are so many times and ways to be aware that we are connected with God, whether we are alone or in church, whether we find ourselves in nature or in words read in a book, or finding love in the simple affection of a beloved animal friend, or just sitting in quiet prayer.
Public, unified prayer, is simply one reminder that we are never alone and when we join with others, we lift not only those “others” but ourselves into union with that One, that Spirit, in which we “live, and move, have our being.” And how grateful we should be to find ourselves there.
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