Lately I’ve been spending time in quiet meditation of the “come let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18) sort, where a few scriptures have remained at the forefront of my thoughts and have proven very sobering by the questions they inspire. The scriptures are:

“I am THE Way, THE Truth, THE Life” (John 14:6)

“Walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7)

“Obey the Spirit’s teaching, then, and remain in union with Christ.” (1 John 2:27 GNB)

My meditations are aided by the experiences God has brought me through, such as my brief foray back into an institutional church, which gave me many things to examine and the effect they had on my fellowship with Christ and others. These have helped me to see more clearly the connection between my choices, actions and involvements and my unity with Christ.

When the service ended, two men introduced themselves to Karen and me at the front of the sanctuary. They welcomed us to Cornville and then the taller of the two turned to me and said “when you live here son, you got to declare which side you’re on”. Karen grinned knowingly and turned her attention to the woman who greeted her. Panic began to set in – how could my new wife – a native Cornvillain and familiar with their strange ways, abandon me like that to these 2 grinning sod busters?

“Ugh, politics already” I thought to myself. I’d hoped by moving away from Seattle there wouldn’t be any partisan politics to contend with. Yet there it was and in church of all places! “Do you mean what political party do I belong to?” “Nah, not that. But you still got to declare.” I must have looked to them like a deer caught in the headlights. “I don’t get it” I confessed. “Red or green” he demanded. “You mean like what’s my favorite color?” His grin was replaced by a look of consternation as he blurted out “Are you daft, boy, John Deere or Case IH?”