Rob Voyle's Appreciative Way Blog
Additional Articles By Year:
2016
| 2015
| 2014
| 2013
| 2012
| 2011
| 2010
We Are God's Chosen People Not God's Protected People
Posted: June 26, 2016 by Rob Voyle
The harshness of the Gospel, Luke 9:51-62, for this coming Sunday and the random violence of our times reminded me of a comment author and retreat leader Jim Finley once made: "We are God's chosen people not God's protected people." I don't know about you but there are many days I would rather be protected than chosen. But clearly that is not the case and the challenge of why bad things happen to good people confronts many in our day and in the days of all of humanity. It is clear we are pilgrims, not settlers on this earth, and the harsh reality of death awaits us all. For some it comes too soon. For others it is preceded with lots of suffering. To make sense of the randomness of violence and death many resort to simplistic expressions of cause and blame that are often repugnant to anyone with a shred of common sense and compassion. While the reality of eternal life offers protection in the ultimate sense, it is in the future, and in the meantime their is suffering with which we have to respond. Trusting in the idea that we are protected when clearly we are not is unhelpful. Rather than relying on a false certainty of protection I find the ambiguity of being chosen to be more comforting. But for what have we been chosen. It is very easy to let the idea of being chosen to blossom into arrogance rather than humility. I think Micah gets it right. We have been chosen to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. As a Christian I would say I have been chosen to be as liberal in sharing God's love, mercy, and forgiveness as Jesus was and is. With gratitude for the joys of this life and God's love and presence in the hard times. A prayer: Almighty God, you have made us your chosen people, not your protected people. You have given us a lodging in this world but not an abiding city. Help us in this present moment, as a pilgrim people, to endure hardship and delight in goodness, knowing that we have your love in our hearts with a work to do, and at the end of our journey we know the joy of our homecoming and the welcome of your embrace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Rob Voyle Director, Clergy Leadership Institute
See Restoring Hope for healing and change strategies based in the Appreciative Way.
Additional Articles By Year:
2016
| 2015
| 2014
| 2013
| 2012
| 2011
| 2010
|