Proper 22 C Worthy of love and Belonging

Proper 22 C Worthy of love and Belonging
October 2 2016
By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell


Any of you who have been teachers or camp counselor would understand Our Lord’s disciples request to “increase our faith.” Students and campers are acquainted with the crippling effect of their human vulnerability. Who do you think they are? 


As we enter a room, we wonder what are all those people looking at us thinking? By the time we reach the age of this group the sharp pain seems to have dissipated, but deep down we know that we are still vulnerable. Who do we think we are?


When a young child is learning how to swim there is that scary moment when the instructor coaches them to take their feet off the bottom. Have faith, the instructor says, it really works. Trust what you can see for yourself. Our bodies are buoyant. We float, because that’s the way we’re made. St. Paul would say, “See we are surrounded by a crowd of witnesses. Trust in the truth of how God made us, and you are on your way to more fun than you can imagine.” Our theology professor at seminary used to say, “If you’re not having any fun out life, there’s something wrong with your theology.” God created the world for our enjoyment. Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life in abundance.”


I can give you names of campers who by faith leaned into the discomfort of the shame and fear of their beginning swimming lessons, and who would one day become the waterfront director of Camp Cross.


One of the loveliest gifts we can give to our family and friends is the gift of helping them know that they are worthy of love and belonging. That is the one sure foothold we have in our inevitable human vulnerability. It is our one source of courage that allows us to be whole hearted in our day-to-day relationships.


In God’s love we are worthy. In God’s love if we fall short of the goal, we are worthy. In God’s love if we stumble and fall, we are worthy. In God’s love, no matter how many foolish turns we make WE BELONG IN GOD’S LOVE.


Our job as Christians is to proclaim that good news. No matter what: WE BELONG IN GOD’S LOVE. To make that mission possible and whole-hearted it helps when we have a place to reflect and refuel. Here is a safe place to ask this question: Where has the love of God touched my life in the last twenty-four hours? (Let’s take a few minutest to think about that question). What would it look like if we shared that experience with someone that we meet along the way today?


In Paul’s letter to Timothy he writes, “One precious memory triggers another – your honest faith – your special gift of ministry – your bold, loving, and sensible use of God’s gifts. What a delight it is to know you.”

So, let’s not be embarrassed to speak up about God’s love. And how He has shown himself to us in our faith journeys. Let us, in faith, take our feet off the bottom and see what happens. 


In today’s collect we prayed this:


“Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve. We, (praise God) belong in that prayer.


How has God touched your life in the past 24 hours?

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