There is so much going on in the world right now. It feels like we’re constantly in reactive mode. And if I’m being honest, it feels nearly impossible to be proactive. That would make a good leadership blog post. And maybe I’ll dig into that soon. But for today, this actually has got me wondering about the affirmation of baptism. Here’s why.

In baptism and the public profession of faith, the baptized beloved are asked,
“Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in in holy baptism:
to live among God’s faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?”
[As found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2006), 236-237.]

The response to this question is, “I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.”

“I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.”
“I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.”
“I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.”

No, we don’t generally say that sentence three times (or more) in a row. But I have written it here like this, because at least for me I need to hear and say these words over and over and over again right now. Maybe you do too?

What might it look like and mean for you to live out theses promises of baptism and marks of discipleship today? When you say them aloud, what do you hear? What comes to mind?

What comes to mind right now for me is a call to be faithful. To show up. To speak up. To listen. To pray. To come alongside. To call out evil and injustice for what they are. To remember that WE ARE ALL GOD’s BELOVED.

As I see politicians create crisis, as I witness neighbors worried about families being torn apart, as I see our brave service members and national guard members being put in untenable positions for political gain by a few lusting for more power and control, and millions of dollars being spent on a grand parade while also cutting millions (and much more) from those in need of Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP… I can’t help but come back to these promises, and wonder, have we really missed the mark this much?

This is the sort of thing Jesus turned over the tables in the temple for. This is the sort of thing Jesus showed up at Zaccheus’ house for, in order to free him and turn him around. This is the sort of thing that leads to dictatorship and fascism and the downfall of empires and nations. This is the sort of thing which ultimately led to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (And before you say I’m wrong, go back and read Genesis 18-19. The cities were destroyed for their lack of hospitality and lack of care and concern for their neighbors, not for anything else, despite what popular culture might have led many to believe. Which raises another question, are our current actions creating hospitality or the opposite?)

I am getting tired of the temptation by many to just ignore and look away. This is no time to bury our heads in the sand. This is the time to stand-up and proclaim that through the Gospel we know of another way. A way that brings life out of death. A way that brings hope and peace. A way that is a sign of love for neighbor and for God. A way that shows God’s abundance is real, and is not limited for just a few.

It’s not lost on me that such travesty is currently being wrought by those claiming to be Christian. But the understanding of the gospel at play here is nothing like the one of Jesus that I know and find in the Gospels of scripture. No. The delusions and thirst for power, the sins of “Christian” nationalism, racism and brokenness of our world have all been laid bare. Perhaps that’s a gift. They are no longer glossed over.

But as we see them starkly, we have a choice. Will we follow the way of the cross, and faithfully continue in the covenant God made with us in baptism, or will we follow another way, the way of earthly power and brokenness over relationships with little care and concern for our neighbors?

The question might seem rhetorical. But given what is happening right now, it’s real.

“Christian” Nationalists have found a way to grab hold of the gospel and shape it for their ends, in the process explaining away the Jesus who teaches about the Beatitudes as being “not manly enough,” or “not tough enough.” These same “Christian” nationalists have gabbed a hold of the story of Deitrich Bonhoeffer and tried to show him as a champion of their cause. The problem is, he wouldn’t be. He’d be so upset that his writings have been so terribly distorted. For the cost of discipleship which Bonhoeffer writes about calls us to the margins and the places where our neighbor is in need. It calls us to brokenness to meet God’s beloved where they are at. It calls us to be the light and peace of Christ in the world.

So, will you live out these promises through word and deed? Will you measure all that you do, say, and support with them? Or will they just be nice words that you occasionally say in worship on a Sunday?

I know I fall short. Daily. But today, I commit myself again, and say for anyone who needs to hear them, like I do, “I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.”

God, help me to be who you call me to be- especially as so many of my beloved siblings are afraid and crying out. Use me. Guide me. Lead me. And may your kin-dom come. Amen.