Daily Bread

The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.

The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?

Wow! Does this resonate with me or what? And it reminds me of all of us who are Guests and Members of FAB Church. The Lord has blessed each of us with the ability to offer love and support to sustain the weary with a word of encouragement. And doesn't it often seem that we need those words of encouragement first thing in the morning? It seems that much of our pastoral ministry happens before 9am and that is good and how it should be. Even today, as I write this (at 8.15am), after a fitful and anxious-ridden sleep, I have encouraged a friend and prayed for them and also received encouragement from another Christian friend. How wonderful it is to be in the midst of a loving community through whom the Spirit works!

Sometimes, like Isaiah, we too have to set our faces 'like flint' which is an idiom that means to be disciplined and courageous in our love and support for others whilst leaning into God. What we are doing here, on FAB, is journeying with those who have inner struggles — or to be more accurate, we are journeying with those who have been told they are not good enough or not accepted by God because of their sexuality, gender, or lifestyle. If you are looking for judgment, well, there are plenty of churches where you can find that. Not so here. We are going to love and support each other, pray for one another, and look out for one another, without judgment, and with an expectation that God's Spirit will work in and through each one of us.

Sometimes our adversaries will tell us we are an abomination, or sinful, or that we are not how God created us and that God wants to change us. Yes, of course, we are open to the Holy Spirit convicting us, steering us, guiding us, and transforming us — but only in the direction of love — love for ourselves, for God, for others, and the world around us. Setting one's face 'like flint' is not to be stubborn or obstinate, but determined to never stop loving, and we do this in the name of Jesus Christ who first loved us, found us, and brought us home.

Holy God
Thank you for FAB Church,
this fledgling community of people who together
are learning to love you and love one another.
May I set my face like flint,
turning my back on all that would
draw me away from your love,
and with courage and determination may I
continue to be the person you created me to be
— someone overflowing with your grace and mercy.
Now and forever.