In recent days the emerging rethinking of well known and well respected evangelical Christians regarding the teaching on gay issues has been much in the public eye. And my heart has rejoiced and my spirit has danced as never before. This is my take on the process and my hope for the future. The "it" at the beginning is the separateness, the silence, the fear of voicing an opinion, the fear of swimming against the tide. I have long held the view that not only does the church cause more distress to gay men and women but it also makes itself less than whole. Jesus talked about the "Body of Christ" and the different parts of the body that make up the whole and functioning body. If for whatever reason we exclude our Christian brothers and sisters we leave ourselves less than whole, less than fully functional, less than complete.........
Dear God let this be a turning point, let this cause many to consider what is true and what is right. Touch hearts I pray. Amen.
It resembles a vast, high wall of stone
And few will dare to try
To reach beyond their certainties
Though hearts on both sides cry.
The lonely separation hurts
Divided we cannot stand
Even loved ones cannot find a way
To hold another’s hand.
Families fall divided
Long friendships bruised and battered
For words become as sharpened swords
And lives are torn and tattered.
Oh where is love? Where mercy?
Where justice, hope and peace?
We’re called the broken hearts to heal
The captives to release.
Where are the hands of Jesus?
Who will be salt and light?
Who’s comforting the hurting ones
Who weep throughout the night?
Now tiny gaps appear there
The brickwork’s not so strong
And hands are reaching through to hold
The ones who have been wronged
There’s hope in once dead eyes again
And tentative relief
For hands are raised to heaven
To grasp long held belief.
God lead us ever onward
Into Your truth, your plan
Forgive our misconceptions
About our fellow man
Oh teach us, guide us, bring us
To where you’d have us stand
And govern every word we speak
So all will understand.
Karen Holmes
19 January 2013
