This Sunday the assigned text from the Old Testament Prophet Habakkuk includes these words “Write the vision, make it plain …”. These are words written by a man whose name means “Embracer” because of his love for God. These words come from a tiny book of only 3 short chapters written as a defense of God’s goodness and power even in the view of the existence of evil.
As I read the book of Habakkuk this week, it reminded me of how nowadays it seem like the houses of faith have aligned themselves with the very people to whom Jesus spoke so clearly in opposition of. As Christians in America we like to think of ourselves as modern day Israel. However, if we are honest, we are more like old Rome. Just look at our state! The loudest Christian voices heard at the trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice this week were Christians lining up on the side seeking to oppress and deny equality to the LGBTQ community. The loudest voices of the Christians heard in Alabama support politicians that tout their Christian bona fides, but whose very platform for seeking public office directly opposes what Jesus speaks of in Matthew 25.
At Covenant, we may not be the loudest voice among the people of faith in Alabama, but we are committed to live out the principles of Jesus. We are partnering with 60 plus other houses of faith all across Alabama in “Faith In Action Alabama” to be a voice “to honor God by achieving systemic change to create pathways of opportunity for all Alabamians.” Thus we are asking our people to become engaged in helping those who Jesus called “the least of these.” The very least we can do is certainly to VOTE. We dare not tell anyone who to vote for, but we firmly stand with the words of Micah 6:8; “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before your God.”
Against all of that I remembered the vision of Covenant: “To be an inclusive community of faith – Offering Hope + Showing Faithfulness + Sharing Joy.” We “wrote the vision and made it plain.” Now it’s time to put feet and action to the vision so that no matter what the outcome of the elections this fall, the truth of God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, acceptance, goodness and power will continue to be found as a light for the lives of those touched by the ministry of our church, Covenant.
Join us for worship this Sunday on the journey of continuing to “write the vision and make it plain” at Covenant. I will be preaching on “Making the Vision Plain” based on Habakkuk 2:1-4.
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