(John 3:19-21)
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"I am giving you a sign as evidence of My eternal
covenant
with you...I have placed My rainbow in the clouds."
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The rainbow is a
symbol of the mutual fidelity in our covenant with God.
You know the
story.
Psst, mainliners can find
it in Genesis 6-9.
Unlike Sunday
School memories of the story and symbol, the rainbow has become a popular,
politically correct, rallying insistence of "more light" than
Biblical revelation juxtaposed to divinely designed human sexuality and
marriage.
You know the
story.
Psst, if you've been
living in the ozone layer of reality and don't know it, just google rainbow.
Well, while
thawing out and meeting with Hans in Davenport, Iowa last Thursday after 135
miles on my pony Return2, he suggested it's time for people who love God by the book to reclaim
rainbows.
Then
he asked if I would wear a rainbow pin if he bought one for me.
For the first
time in a long time, I was speechless.
Eventually, I
told him that I kinda like the idea buuuuuuut...
A day later, I
was inspired/indigested - You
be the judge if it suits ya! - to record "Marriage in the
Family of Faith" which you can read by going to the right column of this
site and clicking it on.
Two days later, I
wrote to Hans: "This will be quick as I must head off to our first
service. I have been praying about your vision about 'reclaiming' the rainbow
as a symbol of the mutual fidelity in our covenant with God. While I will
be away for the next two days for an anniversary getaway, I will write about
this...and start a movement
with you!"
Sooooooo I'm asking anyone
by this KD who has more money than they need, which means God provided
it for His purposes, to send tax deductible gifts to First Presbyterian Church
(221 N. Main Street, Belvidere, Illinois 61008) designated for the
"Reclaiming Rainbows" movement sooooooo
we can, uh, reclaim rainbows as we find someone who will make
rainbow pins with the word "Reclaim" on 'em for anyone who wants to,
uh, reclaim the symbol by
the book.
Parenthetically,
after last night's deacons and elders meetings at First in which our session
adopted unanimously "Marriage in the Family of Faith" (Hint!), two
immediately interesting developments: (1) a deacon wrote to me after the
meetings and said we can also be a distribution point for bumper stickers that
already carry the message of Hans' vision; and (2) our clerk of session said he
will buy a rainbow license plate frame for my pony. Uh, I'm into the
first and thinking/praying/pondering/fretting the second!
Sooooooo if you're being nudged to
share your $ to help get this movement started, well, uh, uh, uh,...get going!
I know Hans and I
are gonna catch everything but heaven for this, so please indulge a few
confessions.
1. Though I'm a
heterosexual who has sinned often, confessed, and repented, I'm not a
homophobe.
2. I've inherited,
hired, ordained, and ministered well with gays for nearly four decades; just as
I've inherited, hired, ordained, and ministered well with gossipers, thieves,
liars, adulterers, idolaters, posers, hypocrites, and other miscreants of every
kind like me who
need Jesus as saving Lord no more nor no less than anyone else.
3. My decision to
embrace Hans' vision as well as not preside/participate in same sex marriage
rites has nothing to do with my emotional, intellectual, and spiritual advocacy
of totally equal civil rights for gays along with their totally equal medical
benefits, pension-sharing for domestic/civil partners/unions, and the outlawing
of vocational discrimination related to sexual orientation.
I just can't, uh,
openly go against my, uh, religion; and just because something's popular,
politically correct, and lawful doesn't convince/compel me to contradict God's
will as personified in Jesus and prescribed in Holy Scripture.
Joshua 24 and
Luther come to mind.
Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum
verbum Dei!
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Blessings and Love!
8 comments:
Dear Bob: During my 30-year ministry at Bethany, I went through a number of pins and ribbons to announce who we are. A royal purple ribbon as children of the king; a pink fuzzy, that had sticky feet to put on our shoulder to remind us to give warm love and not a cold prickly (Mary Kay sent us these); a miniature bottle of real catsup from Heinz, to put on the dinning room table to remind people to catch up on their pledge; and my favorite, a pin that had the letters A.I.M. to announce that Jesus is "Alive in Me". I gave away about 400 of these. (They came from the University Church in Seattle.)
There were others, but one did not get off the ground, and that is why I wrote. I bought up all the rainbow pins I could find at the dollar stores to remind us of God's care. The very next week, before I had the chance to announce my plan, Jessie Jackson announced he was running for President and he distributed rainbow pins to symbolize the "Rainbow Coalition". Jessie Jackson was defeated twice in the primaries, so I don't think he will run again. I think you are safe. Good idea.
I can not in any way shape or form understand why anyone can justify NOT supporting the rights for gay and lesbian couples to marry, and yet be ok with anything else so long as it is a women and a man..open marriage, having kids outside of the marriage, using contraception, multiple divorces, living together before getting married, I could go on and on and religion is used as an excuse to keep only one kind of sinner from being married, it doesn't make sense, if you want to protect the sanctity of marriage that is fine but if you are protecting someone from gunfire you don't just block one bullet you block them all...why is this kind of sinner not allowed to marry but any other sin is ok I don't get it
I forgot to add God wants us to do very simple things Jesus opened his doors and his arms for everyone and the only gift he offered was health love warmth and food so to me asking anyone to send money for anything related to religion it should be for that and I believe there was a typhoon recently and people are hungry and cold and if you were trying holding one of your hungry cold kids your faith in God would be sorely tested if you ever found out that while your child suffered there was a church asking for money for a pin
Friend, I have defended every right that concerns you for nearly four decades to the profound alienation of many of my dearest friends. I hope you will read the next KD. This is neither a crusade nor obssession for me. I just can't preside or participate in an official way at a same-sex wedding because of what Jesus said in consonance with Biblical revelation just as I have been a fierce advocate for gay civil rights as noted. Again, I hope you will read the next KD and I hope we can meet someday face-to-face and pray together. You will read about some very personal confession and revelations that I pray will bring His comfort to your spirit. I call you friend because, through Jesus, you are my friend. Blessings and Love!
Just got your second comment, friend; and I agree with your concern. Of course, there's more than enough $ around for all of it. Again, I hope you will read the next posting. I really appreciate your candor and courage to write.
For those of us who have forgotten where we used to keep our checkbooks, it would be great if you had a PayPal account where we could send a couple of bucks. Oddly enough, I was talking about reclaiming the rainbow at a pastor's breakfast just last week here in New Jersey. Someone must be whispering in people's ears!
Pastor Jeff,
This is Kathie, The blog administrator for KD. We do have a paypal button on the site. You just have to scroll down. It is on the left hand side.
If you need further help you can email me at Kathiejg7@gmail.com
Thanks much and God bless!
Pastor Jeff,
Excellent, my brother! My comrade and webmaster is on it!
Bob
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