Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, September 10, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
God regretted making human beings. Cain’s pain-fueled act of violence toward his brother was only the beginning of our violence toward our siblings throughout history. In fact, when I think back to my high school history classes, what I remember is an endless string of wars. Civilizations rise, people do some really cool things, then someone else conquers and destroys them. Rinse and repeat. And, of course, there is so much more to history than violence—so much beauty and wonder and compassion and creativity and joy. Yet we keep going back there. In fact, it never goes away. Somewhere, right now—multiple somewheres—someone is acting in violence toward their fellow human being. Let’s be honest. Sometimes, don’t we all just look at the state of things and feel God’s pain and regret? I’m not advocating for another world-ending flood (God did promise not to do that again, after all, thank goodness). But it takes effort to live in hope in the midst of all of this. To be, in a sense, a Noah—not that we are the only “good” ones, but that we can be called out (made holy) to work for peace and justice, and maybe, just maybe, we can be part of a renewal and rebirth of all that is beautiful.
How do I reconcile my faith in God and the endless violence of our world?
