Day 4
Isaiah 5:22 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In many public forums in our culture, the language around LGBTQ+ matters is black and white. This makes it seem that if you want to discuss more deeply or question the morality of sexual behaviors, you will be castigated as being judgmental, “homophobic” or unloving. It is easy to just agree with these simple cultural mandates and keep our mouths shut. It is more difficult to communicate a more nuanced, yet richer sense of love, wanting the best for someone, wanting them to find true freedom of who God created them to be, and living in freedom within God’s design.
While the public discourse seems black and white, if we engage someone experiencing same sex attraction or gender confusion on a personal level, with love, seeking to listen and understand, we might be surprised how open to nuance they are. So, in the public and private spheres, let’s keep engaging, seeking to hear and understand, but also teaching God’s plan for sexuality.
Our Father in heaven, we pray that your church would be diligent in declaring good what you call good. Give us words to communicate the richness of your love and your plan for those who experience same sex attraction and gender confusion. Would you raise Jesus-following writers, scientists, poets, filmmakers and artists who address these matters in a holistic loving way. Would we develop compelling social and cultural reference points that align with your good purposes. Give all of us courage to speak up, publicly and privately, on your good designs for sexuality and the beautiful gift of gender and complementarity in marriage. Give us persistence to keep speaking even when we are misunderstood or judged or seen as foolish, knowing that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.