There are many who believe that the church is beyond repair. Sometimes I do, too. It is painfully true that the church, from the prayers around our dinner tables, to our congregational lives, to our regional and national expressions, is less than perfect. The church is your body, God, to be sure, but it is also ours, and we humans have an imperfect record of living the values we ascribe to you.
We too often forget our shortcomings and fail to diligently monitor and counterbalance our blind spots with wise deliberation and compassion, especially when it seems our own way of life is being challenged by changes around us—or when it seems we might end up with less, not more.
But you, God, continue to invite us to grow, to become more than mere instinct, to be open to your abundance and trust that your grace and provision will be sufficient. You ask us to let you be God.
This message is an excerpt from the Amen column, “Releasing our grip, taking your hand,” by Catherine Malotky in the November 2018 issue of Gather magazine. Today we celebrate the Transfiguration of Our Lord.
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