God, help me walk in Jesus’ footsteps – June 29
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 106:1-18; PM Psalm 106:19-48; Num. 22:1-21; Rom. 6:12-23; Matt. 21:12-22
The Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, held a ZOOM conference call with the clergy of the diocese on Friday morning, leading up to the consecration of Glenda Curry as Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of Alabama this past weekend. He reflected on Jesus’ words from John 15:5, 9 – “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing…As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” He lingered upon the word “abide” and explored the imagery of branches attached to the vine of Jesus.
Bp. Michael Curry has noticed a pattern in his walk as a Christian. Inevitably, during the times he has listened to himself more than the influence of Jesus, he stumbled. When he has followed the steps of Jesus over and above his own desires, he’s felt on the right path -- closer to God, a branch upon the vine of Jesus. Then he said, “When we have walked in Jesus’ footsteps…saints – flawed sinners though they may be – have popped up.” He named saints like Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther King, Fannie Lou Hamer, Desmond Tutu, and Pope Francis, among others.
This message – abiding in Jesus’ love as the vine, so that our branches may bear beautiful fruit – resonates in tandem with our reading from Romans 6. When I try desperately to have all of life under my control – especially when so much feels like it’s spinning wildly – I stumble. To make it worse, the tension of managing the many moving parts of life builds up in my shoulders and neck – and can overflow into staggering headaches. As John preached yesterday on this very same passage from Romans, I scribbled this paraphrase: sin can be defined as thinking we have it all under control. When we sin, we make missteps. We stumble. It is that sin which weighs us down. What a burden this creates, dominating our mortal bodies.
In thinking we have everything under control, we are not acknowledging the overarching role of God in our lives. The role of love. The role of salvation. The role of sanctification: setting us apart to serve God’s purposes in the world. We become branches detached from the vine, and we miss the wisdom and grace that comes from walking in Jesus’ footsteps. And yet, when our eyes are open to the truth that God is in control, “sin will have no dominion over [us], since [we] are not under law but under grace” (v.14). In that shift, our hands are surrendered for God’s use, and with deep intention our hearts are committed to God.
Today, grab the hand of Jesus. Go to God in prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide your steps today, so that you may abide in the love of Jesus. That’s what I am going to try to do, with God’s help.
-- Katherine+
Questions for Reflection
· Think about a time you have sinned, or stumbled. What were the factors?
· Ponder how you might walk more closely in Jesus’ footsteps.
Daily Challenge
Pray the Lord’s Prayer, imagining you are holding Jesus’ hand. Reflect on how the imagery of closeness can reconnect you to the vine of God’s love.