THis week I (once again) find myself reflecting on changes.
THey say the only thing that is consistent in life is change. ANd unfortunately we often have limited control over that change. At both a personal and a communal level change is unsettling at best. Whether it is seen as positive or negative, change is unsettling.
Maybe that is why we so often find ourselves (as individuals and as communities) facing the "back-to-Egypt" mindset. In response to the uncertainty of the transition, no matter how good the endpoint might seem, we want to go back to the familiar--even if that means returning to the chains of what enslaved us.
THis comes to mind in terms of sermons over the next couple of weeks (essentially one sermon to be given twice). AS churches, as a township we face changes yet to come. ANd as the changes start we find ourselves in the wilderness wondering whether it is worth it to proceed. What will we choose? Will we go back to Egypt?
Of course we will go back to Egypt God ... look around - the voices that had the courage and vision of Moses have been silenced and driven out ...
ReplyDeleteOur colleagues are busy taking warm pink fuzzy courses to comfort people and support them in their complacency ... to offer hugs and warm friendly pats on their heads with a gentle (yet meaningless) "there there, it will be okay ..."
Our prophetic voice that dares to step into the unknown wilderness trusting that God will see us through is utterly and totally absent ... and so the only place to go is the familiarity of the past ... The United Church is responding to uncertainty by refusing to proceed ...
Dare to speak and risk my friend ... all is not lost yet ... but there are few who understand the urgency of our Exodus much less see their non-Moses like stance ...