Devotional Messages

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Philippians 2:5-8 – Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.  (NRSV)

Much of my “free” time at General Assembly was occupied by thinking about the crisis in Gaza.  You know that Palestine has been close to my heart for a long time, since even before we hosted our Palestinian intern, Rachel Shomali, in 2017. At General Assembly, we were working on an emergency resolution so that our church could speak out as one against the genocide being committed in Gaza.  Working out the language kept us up till wee hours of the morning.  As I often do, when I am out and about in public spaces, throughout the Assembly I wore my keffiyeh, the black & white checkered scarf that has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians.  I was quickly reminded that there is usually a vendor in the GA Exhibit Hall selling handmade goods from Palestine, when he happened to pass by me and mention his appreciation for my keffiyeh.  I determined that I should purchase something from him before I left.

When I went to see which beautiful thing I should bring home with me, the answer became clear relatively quickly.  I did not have room in my suitcase, of course, for an olive wood nativity set, so I focused on the jewelry.  As they started showing me each piece, my ears perked up when they pointed out this pendant with a silver relief of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  I knew it was the one.  There are so many cross necklaces, reminding us of the power of the Crucifixion.  I’ve always wondered how the Incarnation could be rendered symbolically on a necklace or elsewhere.  A necklace with the Church of the Nativity would speak to my love for the theology of Incarnation as well as my commitment to Palestinian human rights.  So that is what I brought home with me.

And in the days since I’ve been home, the command of the Incarnation has sounded loud in my ears as the crisis in Gaza has intensified.  People are starving.  They are past the point where food alone can save them, because their organs are shutting down.  Parents are literally collapsing from hunger as they try to find food for their children.  The journalists and medics who are still alive are too faint to carry out their work.  Even the aid workers are growing weak from lack of nutrients.  The God who took on human form is starving alongside the people of Gaza, as the world watches in paralyzed horror.  And the regime that is holding the food outside the gates continues to enjoy the support of billions of our tax dollars, as well as diplomatic cover at every turn.

I know it is hard to think about.  I have been overwhelmed with sorrow this week and almost unable to contemplate how much worse it has gotten, when it was already so bad.  But we cannot turn away.  Not if we claim to follow an Incarnate Savior.  Not if we believe in a God who created us human and pronounced us Good, a God who came and lived in a body, a body like ours and a body like those starving in Gaza.  We cannot turn away.  So instead, let us join hands; let us help one another be brave in the face of this horror.  Let us lift up our voices together, for the 5000th time or the first time, and declare No More – Let Gaza Live!