Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“But as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard of him shall understand.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, June 2, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
There is freedom in this statement. Freedom from the age-old Christian urgency that has pushed so many modern Christians to this idea that their whole role in life is to make sure others are “saved” by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior. Paul’s quote makes that central focus obsolete. The way I see it is that it’s up to God whether and how people understand God and have a relationship with God. My role as a Christian is to live in the Way of Jesus to the best of my ability. That means my focus is on doing justice for all people regardless of what they believe. It means I am called to reach across boundaries and extend radical welcome to every single human being, loving them exactly as and where they are, and working to facilitate the inbreaking of the reign of God on a day to day basis. And, of course, when I live out my faith in this way and I am not shy about proclaiming that it is my faith that calls me to this way, it is an opportunity for those who have not heard or have not believed to see the way God is present and active in the world. And maybe, just maybe, they will “see” and “understand.” But that’s not up to me.
How do I understand my role as a Christian in this world?
