Okay, I have decided I’m not going to talk about the birth control debate here, because when I do start talking about it, my eyes get kind of bulgy and my head starts to hurt. If you want to know what I think, ask John. We agree and he can actually say it without being called nasty names that I won't repeat here. Blech.
But what I cannot avoid talking about here is this story, in which U.S. Catholic Bishops announce that they have made fighting the birth control mandate their “top priority.” No matter what your opinion on the issue, it seems to me that this is a pretty high billing for the Pill, but maybe that's just because I'm remembering that recently some of our brothers and sisters here in South Sudan were also asked about their top priority. Their answer? Food. Their second priority? Water.
Y’all, if faced with all the brokenness in this world, the Church really thinks birth control should be their number one priority, then we. are. missing. it.
This hurts me because it shows that we, as the Church, do not know our God. TODAY, God is helping wives embrace people who killed their husbands. God is making families where there are only orphans. God is nourishing the starving, comforting the grieving, and setting prisoners free. He is sustaining churches without walls in places where they are burned. He is sitting in basements and hidden rooms with believers who would be killed if anyone knew they were reading the Bible.
He has graciously invited the Church to be His hands and feet in these beautiful, life-changing works of grace and mercy. Are we watching for where He is moving? Are we running to join Him there?
In the end, I believe Jesus already clarified what his followers’ first priority should be:
“‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’”
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
-Matthew 22:36-39
Amen. God, help us to know how to love You and teach us how to make that our TOP priority.
-Stephanie
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