Written on our hearts

Over the last week there has been an enormous kickback within the Anglican Church of Australia to the pronouncement of the Archbishop of Sydney's address to their Synod, telling Anglicans who did not agree with his theology to remove themselves from the Anglican Church. In moving forward in our own ministry we need to look at what we ourselves proclaim and if we act in a similar prejudicial manner. In Jeremiah God is most direct and states "I shall be their God" just after suggesting that his laws will be written in their hearts (Jer. 31.33).This suggests to me that the laws of God are etched upon our hearts and not on a piece of paper. What does this mean in the reality of life and all of our prejudices?

The tales that Christ tells are tales of persistence and humbleness of heart (Lk 18.1-14). Tales that remind us of the two things that we require as we follow Christ in the world. Persistence because so often we will be disillusioned by the things that are happening around us. Things that will bring our faith journey into disrepute or vilify our stance on those that are marginalised in society. If we are strong in our love for God and for the body that is Christ in the world we will persist in all things that give life and love to those who are seeking sustenance and shelter. We are prone to wander from the path and to drop out not in a good way but because we have become so shell shocked by the society around us that we give up. Yet, God has inscribed his love on our hearts. A love that as we know passes all understanding. We so easily give in and say it is not worth it, we cannot continue and yet with time centred on God and in prayer we are able to persevere into the future that is made by God's continual presence.

We are so often lulled by our sense of superiority in our learning, interpretation and sense of knowledge that we forget that Christ taught with simplicity even though he had a greater knowledge than we can ever posses. In the practice of our faith we need to become as humble as the proverbial servant. Not the humbleness of the door mat but the humbleness of heart that allows us to be open to the other. This is the true understanding of the Gospel of love to be able to open oneself up to the least in the world and bring them into God's love through our action. It is totally irresponsible of us to think that we know what is in accordance with God's word or love as a n individual, as a community and as people who proclaim to be part of the body of Christ. We do not. We begin to turn away by responding to our own needs and our own perceived greatness. In the end we are devoured by our own prejudices.

We need to be as persistent and as humble as a person showing stock

Both the negatives from the forgoing are particularly relevant when we are faced with change. It does not matter what the change may be, whether in our lives or in our faith journey or even in the community. Our own tendency is to gravitate towards the negative. It is very hard to maintain the positivity of God's presence in our lives when we are surrounded by apparent failure. In 2 Timothy the author deliberately holds up the example of his own persecution and retention of a life based in Christ to enable Timothy in his work (2 Tim 3.10-17). If we hold to God's love we will be persecuted, if we hold to God's writing on our hearts then others will become jealous and seek to undermine. No matter who we are we belong to God first and foremost as members of the body of Christ. This means that we are humble enough to open our hearts and lives to those who are marginalised not solely to those who believe as we do; we are persistent in our proclamation of love no matter what the circumstances so that we can overcome the reluctance of others to see the truth of love in action. God's love is not based on how we perceive the human body or its sexuality only on how God perceives each individual created in God's image.