"On Our Way to the Promised Land"

“On Our Way to The Promised Land”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Thanks to our “Church By Phone” team’s generosity, I took an extra day off this week. I thought it might be a good idea to recharge a little, to be as ready as possible for whatever will be coming our way in the days ahead. Although the weather was not so good, I spent some time over in Manhattan, walking up and down the streets of a city that is certainly hurting, but I’m happy to say, it’s most definitely not a “ghost town.” On both days, I found dry spots where I could sit outside. So, while eating a slice of pizza or sipping a cup of coffee, I did some people watching, looking at everyone getting through the day, wondering what was on their minds, what invisible burdens they might be carrying.

The truth is that we’ve all picked up at least a few scars along the way. All of us carry our own personal regrets, hurts, and fears. We wonder about the roads not taken. We ache about the ways we have betrayed others, and we’re stung by how others have betrayed us. We worry about the future. What is yet to come?

And many of us bear the trauma of living in our deeply messed up society. Despite overflowing prosperity, so many have so little. We are armed to the teeth, making gun violence an inevitable fact of life and inspiring some to form “militias” ready and willing to preserve their white privilege and to act on bizarre conspiracy theories. There aren’t enough good-paying jobs, leading many to desperation and recklessness, convinced that there’s nothing left to lose. Our level of public discourse continues to sink to even lower depths. Many among us seem to have gotten tired of a deadly virus that we were never serious enough about in the first place. And, finally, we get daily reminders that some people in our country just don’t seem to matter very much at all. 

The presidential election is undoubtedly critical, and the outcome may help us heal from some of this agony, but there will be no quick and easy fix. 

So, how do we move forward, scars and all? How do we find healing in our hearts and in our community?

You may remember that in church this past Sunday we heard the story of the death of Moses. He was buried on the edge of the Promised Land. The leadership of Israel passed to Joshua, who will guide the people back to their ancestral homeland, bringing the long exodus to a close. 

I’m sorry that we’ve reached the end of the exodus story because this ancient account of wilderness years speaks so clearly and powerfully to our time and the challenges ahead. The Israelites had left behind all that was familiar and were now in a seemingly endless in-between time, filled with dangers and fears, and with plenty of opportunities to make big mistakes. There were times that the people missed the past (even though it wasn’t so great back in Egypt). They grew hungry and thirsty and impatient. They gave into the ever-popular temptation of worshipping the gods of the world, choosing to be just like everybody else. 

At the same time, Moses and his people learned about God. They received the law, which gave them a trusty roadmap for keeping their end of the covenant. They discovered that God would provide food to fill their groaning stomachs, but hoarding would only disappoint. For the Israelites, the suffering and the mistakes were painfully real. Yet, God never stopped pointing the way forward. And, as we’ve just done in church, the story of this long ago epic journey is told and celebrated to this day.

Unlike the Israelites, we are still somewhere in the middle of our wilderness journey. We are a mess. But, God is always pointing the way forward, reminding us of the power of prayer and the beauty of community. God is unsettling our consciences about the plight of the hundreds of children at the border who may never be reunited with their parents. God is uncovering the suffering in our old cities and towns (like Jersey City) where the good jobs have been moved elsewhere, without a thought for the loyal and skilled workers left behind. God is uncovering the injustice and brutality that have given Black people good reasons to mistrust the police and others in authority. 

It can feel overwhelming to face these realities. Sometimes we may even miss the (often not so great) past. But, there’s no turning back.

Whatever our politics, we all know that next week may be quite difficult. As always, we’ll be praying for one another, our country, and for the whole world. On Election Day, in addition to our three “Church By Phone” services, we will gather on Zoom at 7:00 PM with our friends from Grace Van Vorst, knowing that Jesus is always present where two or three of us are gathered, even if it’s on the Internet. 

So, in the days ahead, no matter what happens, we’ll stick together. We’ll continue to follow God’s lead. Scars and all, we are on our way to the Promised Land.