Lifted up

Monday February 9th Isaiah 40: 31 But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak. The world tends to beat those on the bottom down.  The Lord lifts them up with wings like eagles. Where does the church stand?  When I support one group who find themselves rejected by a portion of society, I receive support from many who take the same view.  When I support all people who are rejected by a portion of society, I pretty much torque off everyone.  It is alright as a pastor to support gay rights in the eyes of some, but many of those who support you on gay rights don’t want you to support union rights, or abortion rights, or voting rights, or the right to assembly or the right to speak your mind no matter how offensive it may seem to some.  In God’s eyes, the lowly are lifted up.  That does not mean that they are not held responsible for their own prejudices and attitudes and behaviors, it simply means they are lifted up to be as responsible as anyone else.  For we all, ALL, fall short of the glory of God, but no one falls short of the grace of God.  So as Jesus put it to Peter, but you, who do You say I am, in your words, in your deeds, in the way you spend your money, in the people and projects you support, who do you say Jesus is?  When we are focused on that, we are less focused on the possible shortcomings of others.