When I reflect on God’s love, I think of my parents’ warm hugs or my husband’s unwavering support. When I imagine God’s goodness, I see members of my congregation showing up (before we could ask) with groceries and helping hands when my newborn son was hospitalized. When I think of God’s welcome, I recall my nana putting enough delicious food on the table to feed an army so that everyone would have their fill. When I think of God’s grace, I recall how many times people had given generously and unexpectedly to us when we needed it most.
I cannot know God outside of God’s people. It’s an ancient truth, but one so easily forgotten. We like to privatize our relationship with God and pretend it is “me and Jesus.” But it can never be. For better or worse, what we know about God is immeasurably influenced by those in our lives. If a person has never – not once – known a relationship where she was valued and loved unconditionally, why would she believe that God feels that way about her?
This message is excerpted from “Honoring our saints” by Michelle Terry from the October 25, 2021, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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