"Midweek and Our Grieving Hearts" Pastor Cindy's Devotion 08/22/2018

Good morning,

Micah 6:8b what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

That was our scripture on Sunday.  Such strong clear words.  Read on Sunday morning surrounded by song and prayer and friends, they settle our hearts.  Of course, we want to walk humbly with God.

Yesterday the body of Molly Tibbets was found.  She was a 20-year-old college student.  Few of us actually knew her.  We became acquainted with her in pictures.  We saw her big smile on posters and in our newsfeeds.  In some ways, Molly represented all our children and we become anxious for their safety.  On my way to work this morning I passed two women out for a morning run and I thought of Molly.

A 24-year-old man Cristhian Rivera has been charged with her murder.  He has worked on an Iowa farm for four years. He is in the United States without proper legal documentation. 

Mollie’s death and his citizenship status become political fuel.

Our hearts are broken.  In the long days since Molly’s disappearance, we had hoped for the best and feared the worst.  The worst has happened.

We feel grief and sadness and anger.  We are wounded and when we are wounded be have to be careful.  We can easily be manipulated.  Evil can creep in turning our grief and sadness and anger to bitterness and hatred.  God feels grief and sadness and anger.  Christ felt grief and sadness and anger.  But the God we love and the Christ we follow never succumbed to bitterness or hatred.  Bitterness and hatred are not part of the character of God.   

The words from Sunday come back:  what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

If these words are more than just a theory, we do what God asks.  We do justice and love kindness, knowing that justice and kindness must somehow work in tandem because they are both of God.

And we walk, humbly, with God.

Our sanctuary is open today.  There is sunlight streaming in the east windows, just as it always does at this time of day, as certain as God’s love.  You are invited to bring your grief and sadness and anger to the sanctuary.  There are prayers and prayer shawls.  There is water in the baptismal font.  You can remember your baptism and the baptism of all of God’s children.

Humbly before God, we grieve. 

Blessings, even in this hour, blessings,

Pastor Cindy

Pastor Cindy Hickman

West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Ave
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826

We worship at 8:30 and 11 on Sunday mornings and you are invited.

This week at WDMUMC:

On Sunday we will continue our sermon series, Methodist r Us. A panel of individuals from our church will share their stories of what being Methodist means to them.  Come and join in the discussion.

Visioning Informational Meeting  Tonight at 6:30 Mike Powers will share the Visioning team’s proposal.  If you haven’t heard about the plans, come tonight!

We are still in need of teachers for Wednesday Night Live  Could that be you?  Email Morganne if you would like to get involved in an exciting ministry!

Charge Conference!  On Thursday, September 13 at 6:30, West Des Moines United Methodist Church will hold a charge conference for the purpose of voting on the divesting of the houses now owned by the church.  All are welcome to attend.  Church members will have voting rights.

And I will be out of the office next week--so no Midweek.  Take an hour next Wednesday and just slow down, take a walk or sit on the deck and listen to what God has to say to you.  Blessings.  Pastor Cindy