The Hebrew scriptures are filled with words of longing for
the Messiah to arrive, as in Psalm 130: “More than sentries for dawn, I watch
for the Lord.” But what about those of us who believe the anointed one has
already arrived? Jesus came, discerned that his mission was to proclaim God’s
love for us, died on the cross because of his faithfulness to this mission, was
resurrected, and promised to be with us always, until the end of time. If
Christ is with us always, why should we have a sense of urgency?
As it turns out, although Christ is always coming to us,
many people are not attuned to or conscious of that presence in our world, and
they are using their free will to destroy the very gift that sustains us, the
earth. I am currently reading a book called The Overstory that describes how God uses trees to enable life (including
human life) to exist, and yet humans are clear cutting forests at a rapid rate.
Our use of carbon for fuel is warming the earth, throwing our ecosystems out of
balance. We are using water and other resources at a rate that is
unsustainable. Yes, Christ is present, but if we don’t respond in kind with
love and accountability for all beings, including plants, animals, and water
creatures, we will perish nonetheless. That is the urgency of our times.
We who recognize Christ in our midst must now move beyond
watching to do what the prophet Micah suggested so long ago: act justly, love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God. The future of earth and all its marvelous
beings depends on it.
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