Our minister is fond of saying that she was taught, in seminary, that preachers have only three sermons that they invariably reframe and retell over and over. I may have only one: that God loves and accepts us, wherever we are on our faith journey, and is pleased as long as we’re moving in His/her direction. If you cannot accept what you hear religious voices espousing about the “truth” of God, the Bible, salvation, life choices, social issues, politics, education or “sin,” I suggest listening for God instead. One of the most consistent promises God makes to us in the Bible is that if we seek, He/she will make himself known.
In early adulthood, I was put off by religion. It seemed that the loudest voices preached a rigid, inflexible set of beliefs as the only path to God: it was their way or the highway- to hell. With that was bundled political and social positions that were disagreeable to me, which they justified by Scripture. I think this drove me away from Jesus, instead of toward Him. It took a while to undo the damage. Like an old-fashioned courtship, it took some time for me to listen past these voices to intimacy with God. As I was exposed to Scripture, I began to recognize its wisdom. Over time, the truth of the Jesus story solidified in my heart, as I worshipped in a church setting with open-minded, inclusive folks- where a fledgling believer can doubt and question and make up his or her own mind along the way. Learning and growing toward a lasting faith, or as the classic Shaker song “Simple Gifts” puts it:
“To turn, turn will be our delight,
‘til by turning, turning we come 'round right…
tis' the gift to be simple, tis' the gift to be free,
tis' the gift to come down where you ought to be
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
it will be in the valley of love and delight.”
I think that the Creator of the Universe is patient enough to accept us while we are “turning”; a slow transformation, as Paul puts it in Corinthians, from a life apart from the Divine, into “a whole new creation" through Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5)
However your journey unfolds, I can tell you that it's worth the effort. Knowing the Divine is the most essential and satisfying experience of this life. Wherever we are on our journey, when we begin to feel God’s love and delight, as the song goes, we’re where we ought to be. The song pairing is “Obvious Truth." Until next time, stay safe, be brave and keep walking in the light.
Obvious Truth
Yeah, it’s an obvious truth
when I see you smile
I don’t need no proof
‘cause it’s an obvious truth
Yeah, when you hold my hand
I look into your eyes
you know I understand
I just understand
One love, one love, one love…
Now the years roll by like a radio song
playing in my head
I was singing along
now I wonder where the years have gone
One Love…
Across my skin blows a gentle breeze
but no one sees the wind
Just the shimmering leaves
moving through the trees
Yeah, it’s an obvious truth…Listen: Obvious Truth
"Turning"