In this episode, Bishop Wright and Melissa have a conversation about the new thing God is doing now with the church and in the lives of her people. It comes as The Diocese of Atlanta gets ready to gather 500 of her people.
To each generation the invitation goes out not to simply pass time, kill time or consume moments but to attune ourselves to what God is doing in the moment and then join God with all that we are and all that we have.
Here comes Jesus with his big heart, clear words, and refusal to retreat from us. “Love enemies” he says, “Bless those who curse you. Fill the beggar’s cup. Give the shirt off your back.”
The grumblers hope to entomb us in our past mistakes and misdeeds. Jesus hopes to enshrine us in the gift of new life.
There is a great humbling that comes with putting ourselves at the center. It’s about right-ness… the rightful occupant of the center is God.
What is amazing about God and God’s approach to wrestling with us is God is never trying to contort us into something other than ourselves.
When Jesus’ earthly time ended, God’s love continued and continues uniquely and powerfully as Spirit… a companion and a multiplier of good in the real world.
“Increase our faith,” is what Jesus’ friends requested of him. A daring request don’t you think? Especially, given what they’d seen of Jesus’ faith life!
God’s love is demonstrated in what God wants for all of us, especially those being ruined by circumstances and then their circumstances being compounded because of the indifference of the comfortable.
The best refreshing that can happen to us and therefore the world, is to remember who God is and what God has done, is doing and will do.