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2007-06-05 issue:

A safe place

From the Grace and Truth column

by Kenneth Thompson

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As a missional church, the quality of life and the conditions of the world concern us. We search for words and ways to deal with trials and tragedies like the Bluffton (Ohio) University bus crash; the Virginia Tech killings by that anguished, unattended soul; the rising death tolls in Iraq and Darfur; nuclear threats in Iran and Korea; severe storms wreaking havoc in the lives of many across the nation; more young men of color ages 18-24 dying in the streets of our cities from gun violence in one year than have died in four years of the war; the increasing pressure and temptation our boys face from alcoholism, drug use, violent video games and pornography; the scourge of obscene language and promiscuity afflicting our girls; more military recruiters baiting our young people with the lure of employment, education and travel that consigns them over to military conscription; the terrorist threats increasing both near and far. More and more we see and hear of the troubles in this world and we are left wondering, Is there no safe place?

Like Elijah fleeing into the cave at Mount Horeb, we take shelter in our local churches seeking a respite from the persistent troubles around us. Many of us are tempted to despair. Even as Elijah did, we yearn to see the grand display of God’s kingdom to set things right.

Like Peter hearing the word of the Lord upon the waters, we step out in simple faith to respond to God’s forward call—only to pause and falter in the face of the complex problems swirling around us. We know what we heard yet are too often moved by what we see and feel. Cold, cruel winds blow through this world, stir up waves that rise to mock us, sweeping past as if to say, Do you really have faith? We look toward the horizon to see God’s coming glory, yet we see all too closely and clearly the gravity of the immediate situations, and like Peter we begin to sink.

Is there no safe place? There is when we realize peace is not a province we retreat to but a provision we respond from. If we think of peace merely as the cessation of violence or a refuge to isolate us from troubles, we mistake temporal tranquility for true heart-peace. Give place in your heart and mind to the peace God gives through Jesus Christ.

The answer for fear, pain and suffering and the desire for peace and safety are seldom found in cleverly composed statements that neatly order our perception of situations. We must steadily declare a faith developed and affirmed by the word and the Spirit of the One who overcame a world of problems. The faith of our Lord sometimes is best formed and made firm in the crucible of crisis, particularly when that faith is committed to peace. It’s there we discover peace and safety are not the privilege of the served but the intentional product of those who serve to bring peace.

Safety is found and faith renewed when we realize, like Job, that every trial, no matter how severe, has limits. We understand that with God we develop a courageous hope that triumphs through every tragedy. A creative, compassionate community will help the wounded rise from an ashen brokenness to a wellspring of healing and wholeness.

May we understand that an abiding faith moves us to view adversity as an opportunity to speak authentically of God’s peace. We can only be truly safe as we allow our faith to rise above merely reacting to what we see and instead be proactive with a vision that engages our hearts and hands. May we all move confidently in Jesus Christ, with his message and his methods, modeling communion with God and molding community with our neighbor. And make this world a safe place.

Kenneth Thompson is pastor of Friendship Community Church, Bronx, N.Y.

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