Loving God

Laura Digan January 28, 2022 0 1

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Luke 4: 14-30 (NRSVA)

14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ 23 He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.”’ 24 And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

A wee while ago I received a message from someone who was concerned that I preached a lot about caring for the environment. They thought that I was in danger of being swept away by my own pet passion instead of preaching the good news of Jesus.

Now I welcome feedback and will always reflect upon any that is given. However I do believe that care for the planet, the environment in which we live, is preaching the good news of Jesus. In Matthew 22: 35-40, Jesus says: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets."

So to care for God’s creation is to love God. And to care for God’s creation is to love our neighbour. Especially as in Luke 4: 18 Jesus says that he has come to bring good news to the poor. And it is the poor within the world who are suffering the most due to the impacts of climate change. We have it within our power when we make lifestyle choices that sustain and care for the environment to help our brothers and sisters living in the poorer countries of the world, bringing them hope and showing them the face of Christ. 

PRAYER:

Father, 

We thank you for the world you have made

For the rich diversity within your creation

We thank you for the colour and vibrancy of life all around us

Help us to be life-givers,

To be life-lovers

And the example of your love throughout your world

Amen