Dear Friends,
We hope that you are safe and well!
In today's Meditation Rev. Kenneth Samuel reflects on gradualism in social justice is a luxury that those hanging for dear life can't afford. And so we strive to make present God and God's dream for God's People--all people--in the Land of the Living.
We invite you to join us as we commit ourselves to working tirelessly to end systemic and structural racism in our society, in healthcare, in the workplace, in the Church--wherever it shows up so that everyone may come to have more abundant life. May this meditation nourish our contemplative-active hearts and sustain all of us in action.
In the spirit of our philosophy of co-creating community and our awareness that the Spirit speaks through each of us, we invite you to share your meditations with us as well. We truly believe that in God’s economy of abundance, when we share our blessings, our thoughts, our feelings, we are all made richer.
We hope and pray that you and your loved ones experience genuine peace of mind and heart, and remain in good health during this challenging time.
As the days of Summer unfold, may you find peace, healing, hope, and the infusion of joy in your life!
With our love and care,
Ron & Jean
MEDITATION 385: Kenneth Samuel: God, here and now, breaking through
Daily Devotional
Daily Devotional
June 15, 2021
The Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living
Kenneth Samuel
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. … I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage; and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. - Psalm 27:11-14 (KJV)
Gradualism has not been a friend to those who have for centuries been made to suffer the indignities of racism, sexism and heterosexism. Only those who are free from the pressure of persecution can afford the luxury of prolonged, incremental change.
The psalmist possesses a faith that is not just eternal but imminent. It is a faith that does not just hope for the best; it is a faith that anticipates the realization of hope. What keeps the psalmist faithful is the anticipation of hopes and dreams that are expected to be realized in this life. No pie in the sky by and by when we die, but something sound on the ground while we’re still around – this is the faith of the psalmist.
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
Faith to believe in God’s ability to make dreams come true in our lifetime fuels the pursuit of justice. Waiting on the Lord does not put our dreams on indefinite hold. Waiting on the Lord places our dreams on an immediate process of unfolding.
“Wait, I say, on the Lord,” and let the realization of our heart’s desires begin now!
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for a faith that gives us the impetus to manifest your goodness and your greatness now, henceforth, and forever more. Amen.
John Edgerton
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.