God,
When Adam and Eve had to leave the garden, they thought it was over. They had messed up too big for God to care for them.
And then God dressed them.
Abram & Sarai wandered the desert, Noah looked out over the flooded land, Moses’ mother hid her son in the reeds, Elijah wandered the desert of Sidon and as the widow gathered sticks for her last meal, they thought it was over. Jonah thought it was over, in the storm and then in the whale.
When the Hebrews fell under Caesar’s rule, subjugated and marginalized, forced to prove their citizenship–their very personhood and they looked for savior after savior, they thought it was over.
Then a baby was born in a barn.
The baby grew and taught and showed grace.
And then he died on the cross. And the disciples cried, because they through it was over.
God, you know it’s not over til it’s over. We can lose all hope–we can see the depths of evil, we can learn how selfish humans are capable to be.
We can confess that this is a part of who we are and how we live.
But God, we know, you are the master of sticking in extra time and grace and hiding abundance in plain sight.
Our God is the hope of the immigrant that causes them to risk everything for a better life.
Our God is the God of the addict, stretching and searching for the relationships they need to make it one more. day.
Our God is the God of the sex worker, striving to work any way they can.
Our God is the God of the queer community: defying stereotypes and dichotomies.
Our God is the God of elections: nail-biting, fraught and full of division.
Our God is the never-ending God. The God of imperfect and open ended stories.
We are a resurrection people. Our God is a God of love not a God of political power or wealth or oppression.
God, thank you for reminding us that it’s not over til it’s over. Remind us to take care of ourselves and to keep doing the work, because Evil will not have the final word.
Love will.
Help us to do the work of love we pray. Amen.
katyandtheword 