Love for God and neighbor are interconnected
Last Sunday before church someone asked me to add something to the
prayers of the people. She asked me to pray for the people of New
Orleans and all of the areas affected by the coming hurricane. I
really appreciated the reminder. I was not aware that Katrina had
been upgraded and was looking so dangerous.
Ever since the Indian Ocean tsunami that happened on a Sunday morning
I usually make it a habit to look at the news before worship. It's my
daily habit, but on Sundays I tended to be so preoccupied with my
sermon preparation and pulling things together that I skipped the news
on the Lord's Day.
So I needed that reminder. Our life with God is not separate from
this life or the cares of every day. The great commandment that Jesus
gives us points back all the way to Deuteronomy to remind us to love
the Lord and love our neighbor. They are connected.
So part of preparing for worship is knowing what's going on with my
neighbors and what their needs are. As I prayed for the people in the
path of Katrina, I started thinking about what their needs might be.
Prayer is heard not only by the ears of God, but also by us as we
pray.
I started thinking what I could do and how much I could send from my
warm, dry place with the electricity and running water intact to those
who may be without for quite a while -- and maybe even years in the
rebuilding.
I have so much to be thankful for, and much of what I have been given
has only been placed in my hands for those for whom God intends it in
their need.
So when I finish writing, I will send a check to Lutheran disaster
relief for the victims of the hurricane. Choose a good charity and
send what portion God has put in your trust for such need as this. Or
put it in the offering plate on Sunday marked for disaster relief.
Lord,
I think you that you have given us enough to be able to help others in
their need.
Amen
Copyright (c)
2005, The Rev. Dana Reardon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Email her at
mspastor@aol.com.
The Rev. Dana Reardon is pastor at St.
Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI. A lifelong Lutheran, she
came to ordained ministry after 21 years in nursing, mostly in pediatric
intensive care. She graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Philadelphia in 1998 and served 4 ½ years in Upstate New York before
becoming a New Englander. She is still trying to understand the
accent. While in the Upstate New York Synod she chaired the Stewardship
Team. That began her fascination with what makes stewards -- and more,
what makes for generosity.
She
has three amazing daughters: Pastor Reardon says much of what she knows of
life she learned from them.
