Sermon Leftovers

Do you remember when Sinead O'Connor sang "Nothing Compares To You"? It was a haunting song about the gaping hole left by a lost love. Her video portrayed the numbness one often feels after going through a horrible loss. Our hurt is greatest when we lose the thing we love the most. When the Tigers lost the World Series in 2006 and 2012, I felt sadness and loss but I didn't feel numb. When my daughter played her last high school volleyball game and my son played his last high school soccer game, I grieved the end of a wonderful phase of life. I felt a little numb for a few days. When I've lost friendships I thought were lifelong relationships, I felt the pain for a long time (some pain doesn't ever fully leave). This morning I lost my keys. I felt panic, but no pain or sorrow. The value with which we hold anything is reflected in the pain we feel when that thing is lost. Does it pain you when you go a week without praying? Does it leave you nu

I don't know Roy Moore personally. I don't know Al Franken personally. I don't know John Conyers personally. I don't know Donald Trump personally. I've never spoken to any of them. I've never been in the same room as any of them. As far as I know, I don't know anyone who knows any of them. Yet, I know a few things about each of them. They each have people they love. They likely treat those people kindly most of the time. They are probably generous to those people. They certainly would not wish harm on anyone they love nor would they intentionally do anything to bring harm on those they love. They each have contributed positively to the lives of people around them. At their best, their words have likely been more gracious than some of the words we have all spoken today. At their best, their actions have likely been kinder than some of our actions today. They are all created in the image of God. They are all loved by God. Jesus went to t