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Keeping Watch

March 16, 2023

Jeremiah 7:23–28  |  Psalm 95:6–11  |  Luke 11:14–23

Collect for today:
Keep watch over your Church, O Lord, with your unfailing love; and, since it is grounded in human weakness and cannot maintain itself without your aid, protect it from all danger, and keep it in the way of salvation…

As I read and prayed with the scripture lessons appointed for today, my mind and heart have been drawn back to the above prayer. Clearly the authors of the Collect of the Day – the prayer we pray during each worship services which summarizes the lessons of the day – are recalling the times when the church has made decisions that have led us away from God’s desire for us as his faithful people. Throughout the history of God’s relationship with the people of God, the gathered community – aka the church – has sometimes failed to act in a way that is aligned with God’s will. Each of the readings today speaks of a time when God’s people have chosen to go their own way.

Now before you think I am taking a swipe at the church which I love, please note the second phrase of the prayer, “since it is grounded in human weakness and cannot maintain it without your aid…” There have been times whether out of weakness or fear, when we, the people of God, have been silent or have even given support to those who act against God’s love for all people and the world that God created. Our history is filled with such moments when the church has not listened to God and has conformed to the world because its leaders and members found it too costly to take a stand and speak out against the current culture. For example, the church – notably our church – did not speak out strongly against slavery as we approached the Civil War fearing that it would fracture our church as it did our country. As humans, we often take the path that we think will cause us the least harm or loss or condemnation.

But the good news is that God is keeping watch over the church as well as each one of us. God created us with minds to think and hearts to love. God also gave us free will to move toward God or to move away. To be sure, God laments over some of our decisions both individually and corporately but always waits patiently with unfailing love for us to return. Perhaps this Lenten season will give us a chance to stop and listen for God’s directions. I know I need to give myself more time to be still in the presence of God wherever I may be.

My prayer for all of us is that we open ourselves to hear God’s voice and feel God’s gentle nudging when we stray and heed God’s direction to return to the way of Love.

Betsy Fornal