Advent Devotions

Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Gary Olson.

Please read John 3:1-21.

When we read John 3, the tendency is to focus on John 3:16, “For God so loved the world God gave God’s only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This is vitally important. It is a summation of the gospel. But to ignore the rest of John 3 is to leave out much more that is important, the
wholeness of God.

Prof. Marjorie Suchocki points out that in John 3 Jesus first speaks of “God as Spirit, bringing us to birth.” Then Jesus speaks of God’s Son (himself) as “being lifted up on the cross to draw all humanity to God.” Finally, Jesus speaks of “the transcending
Father” who sent the Son (John 3:16-17) (God, Christ, Church, p 230 Suchocki).

So we have Father, Son and Spirit, or as Suchocki would say it, “Power, Wisdom, and Presence.” In other words, the Trinity, what I call the wholeness of God.

I find it comforting that the wholeness of God loves the world, the whole world. God loves the trees and breeze, the deer, rabbits and fox, the lakes and streams—the beautiful and nurturing nature! Through nature God enables us to live, to be here.

God loves the world, the whole world—brown and black people, Asian people, Scandinavians and Northern Europeans –immigrants and birth-right citizens alike. God loves us. God loves us all!

That’s why what is happening in Minnesota to many immigrant people who are being targeted without proof that they are here illegally is so abhorrent. People have been accosted on the streets of Minneapolis and St Paul without cause except they are dark skinned or have an accent. People have been yanked out of their homes without Judicial Warrants. There has been the shooting to death of a woman and a man by an ICE agent with no investigation of the agent or of the incident by the nation’s Department of Justice. I am not in favor of criminal behavior but this indiscriminate abuse of people cannot be tolerated. I am in favor of peaceful protest, writing and speaking out. The nation’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seems out of control. We live in fear of them—which seems to be the purpose.

Surely the wholeness of God who loves the world, the whole world, is needed. We are God’s feet and hands and the morality of God’s love.

Last Sunday I prayed a prayer that I edited from a longer poem given to me by Scott Tunseth, author unknown. I share it here: