Today’s scripture: Romans 8:30 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Cheryl Stonestreet):
Clover grows in tendrils under the ground. Its stems grow upwards above the ground and they leaf out, mostly with three leaves. Yet from time to time, something happens in a stem’s DNA, and instead of producing three leaves, it produces four. Because of its biology, it was predestined to be different.
One definition of justified is: made innocent and blameless. Do we blame a four leaf clover for being different? No, of course not. Instead we call it lucky. We pick it and give it to someone dear, or we preserve it because we found a rare treasure.
People in the LGBTQ community suffer deeply from spiritual abuse. We have been told, taught, and ingrained with the notion that we are detestable and disgusting to our maker. Yet after all our efforts to change — taken often to sickening extremes — we can not change. A pop culture cliché says, “God don’t make junk.” Yet He created us; abominations?
When I read Romans 8:30, I was struck. If LGBTQ people were made “this way”, then are we not predestined? And if predestined, called? And if called, justified? And if justified, then glorified? Yes! I am a beloved child of God!
During the offertory Pastor Jeff often reads an email or a letter. Sometimes they come from local visitors, but many times they come from far-flung places in developing countries. (Thank God for the internet!) The letters are from gay people who want to be close to God and Jesus Christ and have found hope when they found Jesus MCC.
When I hear their stories and I put my money in the offering basket I know I am predestined to be exactly who I am. I have been called to help my brothers and sisters who have been pushed to the periphery. The Lord has justified me, and most assuredly I have been glorified!
Like the clover that grows along the tendrils, we grow on the vine that is Jesus Christ. We are not abominations; we are treasures!
Thought for the day: How have I been called to use my predestined talents to help justify spiritually abused people so that they may come into a glorious relationship with God and Jesus Christ?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.