"I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky,
I Have Heard My People Cry.
All Who Dwell In Dark And Sin,
My Hand Will Save.
I Who Made The Stars Of Night,
I Will Make Their Darkness Bright.
Who Will Bear My Light To Them?
Whom Shall I Send?"
Not everyone loves this hymn, but today’s sea and sky and the cries of God’s people brought it to mind. God’s hand always reaches out to save. Maybe not in ways we expect, or even hope for, but salvation does not equal ease or comfort. We are saved by God’s presence with us, whatever our circumstances.
The Creator of the universe holds us, if we will be held. We need to wrest ourselves from the grip of other forces, our false gods, that keep us from taking shelter in God. We need to understand that it is we who dwell in sin. It can feel like pain to let go of familiar narratives, even if they are false. Like the myth that our whiteness hasn’t made our lives easier than they would be if we were black or brown. Like the myth that we deserve everything we have. Like the myth that some people are more worthy than others.
We are not divided into two groups - people who are bearers of God's light and people who are receivers. We all are created in God's own image. And so it is for us to discover God's light within ourselves and to bear it into the world. And, equally, it is for us to look for God's light within others and receive it. Our false gods will be challenged by what we see. May God strengthen us to let their grip loosen, so we may cling more tightly to the one who wants nothing more, and nothing less, than to hold us eternally.