David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 1:12-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simonthe Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

What shall we do in the face of the recent outcry against Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act by the likes of Apple and Angie’s List, the Huffington Post, and many others, coupled with recent cultural events such as the mass gay wedding in Miami, gay rights parades, and other cultural earthquakes? Certainly the shut-down by gay-rights advocates of the Indiana Pizzeria because of their unwillingness to cater a gay wedding was offset by the incredible groundswell of support (including a nearly $900,000 fund-raising effort) for that business. While the fund-raising effort was both successful and effective in blunting the pizzeria’s shutdown, the story is not finished. Nor is this one case the whole story.

It is noteworthy that as the early church disciples waited in Jerusalem (at Jesus’ command to be sure), they prayed. Actually, they devoted themselves to prayer. Two things come to my mind in regard to their actions. First, of course, is their example. Whether theirs was like a Brooklyn Tabernacle prayer meeting, or a Sunday worship time of prayer, or something entirely different, the fact is their faith life at that time was described as being devoted to prayer.

As I observe the cultural landscape today, it appears that we are in the midst of a massive earthquake. This is true not only in terms of political hot-button issues like religious freedom laws, but cultural norms, racial tensions, international worries, and ethical questions of all kinds. The ability to call any behavior a sin – especially in the realm of sexual behaviors – is challenged by the new moral imperative, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Never mind that we may say we hate the sin, but love the sinner; it’s not OK to call a sin by its name any more – at least in the context of our post-modern culture.

I wish I had a clearer sense of what to do in the face of this upheaval. I would be “preaching to the choir” in the context of the church I serve if I were to speak out in favor of religious freedoms. But we can pray. And we can wait until the dust settles over this moral/cultural/social landscape, and when there are no answers, we can offer what is needed most in post-earthquake contexts. We can offer compassionate love, safe shelter, and a very old and reliable moral compass. Until the earthquake is over, however, we must simply pray. Lord, have mercy upon us all!