Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Audio

When disaster happens - God isn't going to make it unhappen. But He will use you to dull the pain, soften the loss, allow the tears of a neighbor to turn your shoulder into a soggy mess. The only thing we can really do is draw close to God and to each other as best we can. When all hell breaks loose, there is nothing that happens where God is not present with us and for us. I know we want Him to make it all go away or better yet, keep it from happening in the first place - but we messed that up back in the Garden of Eden and have to live with the consequences.The reason the world doesn't trust the church is often as simple as we don't do what we say. Maybe the best witnessing most of us can do is to be authentic - not perfect - authentic. Let our actions speak louder than our words. It's easy to run around yelling at people - it's harder to step in and make a difference. When Jesus asks, "who do you say that I am?" - He doesn't want our words - He wants our love and mercy and grace and forgiveness at work in our family, community and world. That's how He knows - that we know - who He is.