Scripture: Leviticus 19:34
Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.
Thought for the Day: As I reflect back on our denomination’s General Assembly and the installation of our new General Minister and President, the Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, I share with you these words from her sermon on the last evening:
We do not have the authority,
standing or even knowledge
to say: you are in and you are out.
Rev. Owens and these words from Leviticus stir and provoke our spirits. No matter who we are or what title sits before our name, we do not have the right to suggest where to draw the line in the sand. We are to be the moral voice of right-ness and welcome – we are to be a witness to unmerited grace and unconditional love. In a world where ownership of correctness is how too many define religion, we follow Jesus who echoes the liberating message that stretches back to the Torah and beyond.
Prayer: For all who have been clearly told they do not belong – we express our deepest grief, O Lord our God. Give us the courage to live with the boldness of Jesus who stretched out his hand to the marginalized and his witness to those who felt dismissed. Amen.
