But as for me...

Beloved,

I am so thankful to be in relationship with each and every one of you as we journey together towards the Eschaton, God's final plan for the world that is and the world to come. Jesus has assured us of our salvation and we would do well to remember that and live like we are saved. And, it is very important to live like we are saved because we must understand that while Jesus came to save the world, the world is not saved.

Conflicts arise. Injustice abounds. Relationships are challenged. Life all around us can be so difficult that if we allow what we see to become our running commentary, no one would think that there is any hope at all...even for the Christian.

And, when we talk to other people, there nodding heads in agreement and churchy words of solidarity like "Amen" only help to stoke the flames of despair while simultaneously quenching the possibility of hope.

Are we a people without hope? God forbid that Jesus died on the cross in vain.

We just have to understand that in a world full of broken people, we need God.

The prophet Micah saw such a world. In Micah 7:1, he began his message with the simple but revealing phrase, "Woe is me!"

Micah then went on to tell about the disappearance of the faithful like some have disappeared from the church; the corruption of businesspeople, politicians, and judges like some fail to operate within an equitable rule of law; tarnished friendships as people prove unreliable; untrustworthy lovers who operate in an atmosphere of like and lust more so than love; children turning against their parents as if those who brought them into the world should just leave them alone; in-laws acting like outlaws feuding like enemies rather than loving like family; and homes being battlegrounds among family members instead of sanctuaries of peace, love and joy.

Sound familiar?

If that is all that there is to living, then Micah had it right, "Woe is me!"

But, beloved, Micah did not stop there. Micah was a prophet, not a current events news reporter. He had physical eyes to see the wrong around him, a temporal mind to think about the wrong around him, an emotional heart to feel the wrong around him, and a yearning spirit for something better than what was happening all around him.

What about you? If you start from the inside out rather than from the outside in, does your spirit yearn for something better than what is happening all around you? Is there anything that you can do about it?

Beloved, Micah continued in Micah 7:7, "But as for me..."

Beloved, when you place the word "but" into a sentence as a conjunction, as a connector between two parts, two sentences, two thoughts, you basically draw a line through what came before the "but" and put the focus on what comes after the "but".

For all the wrong that was happening around Micah, Micah started his next phrase with "but" and he drew a line through all the wrong that he saw happening all around him and wanted to focus on this,

"I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me."

Rephrasing just a bit and we have,

"Look for God to respond to all that is happening around me...Wait for God to respond to all that is happening around me...Expect for God to respond to all that is happening around me."

Beloved, every difficult situation in your life may not change; BUT, your perspective on life with God can.

Beloved, every difficult situation in your life may not change; BUT, your faith in God can give you hope.

Beloved, every difficult situation in your life may not change; BUT, God can change the world if you will look for God, wait for God, and expect for God to change the world.

And, in changing the world, it may not be the outside world that always changes. Sometimes, the change of your world will take place inside of you.

You have a choice in this world. You can dwell on the bad; BUT, I suggest you look for the good, the good that is only found in God.

Beloved, I look forward to connecting with you for some good in God at Noonday Prayer.

Beloved, I look forward to connecting with you for some good in God with our sermonic message on The Light radio/internet station at 3pm.

Beloved, I look forward to connecting with you for some good in God at our Summer Learning Series being led by Sister April Spears at 6:30pm this evening with the following connection protocol(s):

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/537763787 Meeting ID: 537 763 787 OR (301) 715-8592 Meeting ID: 537 763 787

And, beloved, I look forward to connecting with you for some good in God on Sunday morning for worship service.

Remember, you can listen to and be influenced by all that is going wrong in the world or you can say "But as for me..."

Why?

Remember, God loves you and I love you too!

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain