Rev. Ann Robins, District Superintendent
It has been a year like no other!
We are a tired people. I wonder if that is how the people following Moses out of slavery felt. The people verbally attacked Moses and they wanted to stone him. How did he respond? Read Numbers 11:10-17 vs. 15 Moses says to God, “I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough. Get me out of here.” We can relate. God tells Moses to gather the leaders and God will meet them and speak and they will take some of the load of the people. He took his feelings (hurt, anger, frustration, why me and many other feelings) to God and not to the people. He could honestly bear his soul with all the emotions he felt. These emotions were not too big for God to hear and the hurt and anger did not change God’s love for Moses. Sadly, not many of our relationships can endure such pain and honesty.
Our emotions have run high in this season of the unknown and uncertain. We have needed Immanuel (God with us) like no other time. Jesus led by walking daily through life’s challenges with others and his love was not dependent on how others treated him. Are we are looking in the mirror to see how we treat others? I tend to be angry with the person presenting the problem, when I need to address the problem and not the person. Others usually believe they are as right as I think I am. If I can listen, hear their concern and fears, believe the best of them and calm myself to respond, will we not have more of an opportunity to move forward to solve the problems? We will certainly not solve the problems by destroying our relationships and hurting one another.
Prayer: Immanuel, help me see that the problems around me are not as serious as the problems within me. Please give me the courage to be honest with myself. Thank you for being bigger than all that I face. I ask for your help to love others as you love me. Help me to work with others, looking for their best and hoping they see my best. Thank you for creating the church to be your loving presence in this world. We ask that you empower your church to lead from a place of loving all your children as you love us. In your powerful presence I ask. Amen