(1 Chr 16:34 NKJV) Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for
He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
President Obama kick started the Thansgiving season
in America by pardoning a turkey. Her fellow turkeys are not so lucky.
According to the US Dept of Agriculture, 248 million turkeys will be
slaughtered. The Thanksgiving is happening in a season of great
challenges in America where the unemployment rate remains high above
10%, yet the gap with the rich gets bigger. The Wall Street has hardly
fallen and 80% above its lows in 2009 (DJI @ 11231 versus 6626). Hence
the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) calls for greater equality.
Thanks giving is a great challenge for many. How do
one give thanks to God when there is continuing grave social injustice
perpetrated by people of faith. In Singapore, 377A with its jail terms
on gays remains in the statute due to pressure from the mega churches
with its mega influence. In Malaysia, religious zealots are stirring
their moral indignation to persecute gays.
Yet thanksgiving is more significant and profound
when we are able to make a decision to give thanks in the midst of
adversity. In the US, the current thanksgiving tradition started in 1863
in the midst of the deep ravages of the American Civil War. It brought
them back to the roots of the "First Thansgiving" in 1621 at Plymouth
Plantation where the New England Pilgrims gave thanks to God for
bringing them safely to the "New World".
The Thanksgiving dinner begins by giving grace.
The GLBT Christians have framed it as an issue of
social justice, a new reflective Queer theology, and a call for social
involvement. The reconciliation of our Christian Faith and the 6 clobber
verses is a current preoccupation leading to the push for inclusive
churches such as MCC in 1968 which became a denomination by itself for
the GLBT community. We are reminded to give thanks for God's grace to
the GLBT community.
Our focus has been outward in the area of our mind
and reasoning rather than inward into our Spirit and Soul. And for many
Gay Christians in Asia/Africa where the laws are still anti-gay, the
sense of rejection and lost becomes profound for which an intellectual
reconcilation alone between our sexuality and Christianity may not be
sufficent.
We also suffer from 4 levels of loss:-
-
Loss of self as unique people of worth, dignity
and identity.
-
Loss of relationship with the ones we love.
-
Loss of a family to cherish and be cherished.
-
Loss of communion with God.
Our lives are lost and with so much taken away from
us, we can be possessive, defensive, critical, hostile, vocal, and self
centered - not willing to loose anymore. We are loud and provocative -
because we are hiding a hurt and disillusionment within.
The label of inclusive alone is not enough to call
Home. Preaching based on a intellectual theology is not sufficient by
itself neither is repeating the sermons of the biggest and best mega
churches, insightful and deeply spiritual it may be.
We have been focussing outward, when we should be
spending time inward. The loud debates of the liberal versus
conservative divide or social justice versus evangelism are good but
hides our running away from our inward focus.
When no one is around, when we are alone with God
in that flickering candle of light, are we able to stay still and steady
to listen and dwell on the small quiet voice of God amidst the raging
storms of despair, lost and rejection in our lives. Are we able to
forgive and give grace to those who have caused harm in their religious
hatred and bigotry against gays knowing that God's mercy and grace is so
generous in our own lives.
Can we connect back to God whence we once were as
an innocent child at Jesus' feet, just enjoying and dwelling in the
sweet presence of God. No demanding words are spoken, no prayer requests
made to ask God to fulfill a long shopping list, but a return and a
connection and embrace with the living God of heaven and earth. Do we
see Jesus holding and embracing us, taking our hands to continue on this
journey of life when the lost and rejection is far beyond our mind,
spirit, soul and Christian faith to bear?
In that still flickering light of our burning
candle amidst the cold and darkness of life outside, are we able to
smile and give thanks to God.
Home becomes a place where we can meet God, a place
of God's incredible love, grace and mercy, where we can forgive others,
learnt to accept our loss putting our lives in the hands of Jesus, and
beginning to utter that sacred and precious word of thanks to God for
creating us as Gay person.
In giving thanks to God, we reconnect ourselves
with Jesus, and in that sweet time of tears and humility, giving God
thanks for the grave season of trials and tribulations that has filled
our lives and probably will not leave us. We are innocent yet
persecuted. It is no longer about the mega
church pastors repeating their religious self righteous indignation
about gays, but whether we could ourselves do the opposite and give
thanks and grace to God for being gay when everything is taken away from
us.
When loss overwhelms us, when everything taken
unjustly, when we are empty and naked at the Cross persecuted by the
"bible believing" religious zealots, nothing really matters anymore.
Just as Jesus asked God not to take account of the grave sins of the Jew
to crucify God Himself, as we quietened ourselves from the voices of our
accusers, there is only left our naked selves and Jesus. In that Holy
and sacred place, let us give thanks to God for God is and wants to be
good to us.
In that place of giving thanks to God for being
gay, we too will start to receive all the fullness of God's goodness and
mercy to us and appreciate life and for being alive. Then go out with
rejoicing, and the let the joy of the Lord be your strength in
thanksgiving for God is good and His mercy to us is forever more. Praise
the Lord.
Praise the Lord, for He is so Good
and His mercy endureth forever more.
(Psa 118:1 NKJV) Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for
He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
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