Hope-full

by Rebecca Irwin

On Tuesday, like many of you, I watched and listened to the 44th president of our nation address his fellow citizens. Perhaps some of you did not care to watch it because he was not your choice. But please hear me. I know thousands of voices have critiqued the words, the wardrobe, the gestures, the setting, the senses, the feeling, indeed, every aspect of Tuesday, January 20, 2009. I don't claim a better analysis, a more intelligent point of view, a forecast of the future, or words of warning. However, as I have listened, and allowed the words to settle into my mind and my heart, a few things stood out that are like a bellows, stoking a passionate fire.

The first thing that caused sparks was his (nay, his speech-writer's) selection of Scripture : "We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.". In fact, on Tuesday morning I rose early to read from The Message and had flipped quite randomly to Ephesians where the verse that was used in the speech echoed in my memory as the chapter I had read. I understand it was most likely pulled from 1 Corinthians 13 - the "Love Chapter" as it is commonly referred to :

11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. 12 We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Listen now to Ephesians :

14 No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. 15 God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. 16 He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. The Old Way Has to Go.

Do you see what I see? "TRUST steadily in GOD, HOPE unswervingly, LOVE extravagantly." Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Then, to the Ephesians, "to know the whole TRUTH and tell it in LOVE...grow up healthy in God, robust in LOVE.".

Which leads me to the next phrase in the inaugural address that stoked my fire again "we have chosen hope over fear...". HOPE over FEAR! Pardon my shouting but that is a fantastic phrase to claim as followers of Jesus Christ! Do you hear a call to be different? Do you sense the choice we can make? In fact, the rest of the sentence is good to be mindful of "unity of purpose over conflict and discord.".

On Sunday (prior to the Inauguration), with uncharacteristic passion and fervor, my pastor said that NOW is the time for the church to illustrate to the world true covenantal relationship within community. It is not dependent on the economy, or the politics, or the weather for that matter. It is simply and succinctly dependent on Christ's gift of the Spirit, filling us with his grace and love and our willingness to obey God - simply because He is God. Again, Paul wrote to the Ephesians :

1...I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run! - on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. 2 And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, 3 alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 4 You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. 5 You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. 7 But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.

Dear friends, don't mistake my urgency as overwhelming nationalism, or a case of red white and blue fever. Rather, I rejoice in the Lord for his unfailing Hope. His life-changing Love. His true ability to cast out all fear. And his call to us to testify to this by "pouring ourselves out for each other in acts of love". Sue Donaldson has been steadily urging us to live generously and hospitably for years and I am grateful for her example and encouragement! May your fire be stoked to LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY starting with today.

Our prayer is simple, Father God. We choose hope over fear. We choose to Love extravagantly. We choose to follow you. Thank you for the freedom to do so. Amen.

(note, to download Pastor Lou Huesmann's sermon, find it here once it is posted )