This week takes us to the final question of this “I’ve been meaning to ask...” series. Where do we go from here? This final question is not meant to be the end of the journey; instead, it creates openness to explore together what is next. It is a contextual question, designed for individuals, families, churches, and communities to discern how to move forward into something new. While stepping into the next chapter, my hope is that we keep cultivating curiosity, asking questions, having conversations, and seeking connection in order to humanize and care for each other. Ultimately, this final question invites us to foster hope and imagination. Hopefully as we’ve listened to each other, and I want to again say thank you to all who shared over the last 3 weeks, we’ve heard some things we hadn’t heard before, we’ve had assumptions challenged and we’ve been able to connect deeper with our church family. We’ve also glimpsed insights into each other and just how we might be travelling at the moment. Each week our exploring about each other has been backed up with scripture. Scripture that can expand our insights and give us more to think on. All of our passages help us to understand just what the Kingdom of God can look like as we build relationships with all around us. These passages remind us that we are not alone and re- enforce the concept (at least they do for me) that we are all amazingly created in the image of God and therefore are amazing in ourselves. Today we read that after the loss of loved ones disrupts their lives, Ruth and Naomi create a new covenant with each other, choosing to be in a relationship across their religious, cultural, and generational divides. As women, they build power together in a system where they have little power. Cornelius, a pious Roman centurion, and Peter are brought together through visions they each receive. Peter and Cornelius meet face-to-face and Peter says: “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another.” Through their courageous conversation, their narrow perceptions of others expand, the Spirit descends upon them, and they share in community and hospitality. I think the most important verse in all of our readings for this Sunday is Acts 10:15 – “....What God has made clean, you must not profane.” That is where we go from here.
Jay Robinson
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