Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger...Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. [Ephesians 4:26, 31-32]
Unless you turn back a few chapters and then forward a few more, this snippet about Elijah doesn’t give us much about why Elijah asked God to let him die. Obviously, God wasn’t ready to grant that request and sent an angel to order Elijah to eat the food, that suddenly appeared, to give him strength. When done, Elijah was sent on his way to Horeb the mount of God after a journey of the frequent biblical length of forty days and forty nights. For me, the slender connecting thread is Elijah’s obedience without question or argument. His faith in God carried him forward. [If you want more on this story see: 1 Kings 16:29-2 Kings 2:12]
The Psalmist tells his own story of faith that in seeking God, his call was answered, and God saved him. If we keep God close, we are assured that happy are they who trust in God.
Paul gives us that familiar phrase don't let the sun go down on your anger. Though he does give us permission to be angry ~ whew, because it's hard not to be at times ~ we are not given license to sin because of it, and we are strongly admonished to put away the by-products of anger ~ bitterness, wrath, and malice. It's not easy to be tenderhearted and forgiving when someone has broken your trust and your heart. In our "real time" of now, it is easier than ever to be goaded into explosive anger by political, religious, and nearly any other subject when there are vicious, reactionary, or merely polarizing opinions voiced on any media outlet you can name. My God-given life is 'way too short to feed the frenzy and be frenzied by the feed. I want to change my anger into positive energy by strengthening my faith and directing it toward solutions to genuine problems rather than to just add more unproductive and flammable trash talk.
Faith, to me, is the connection among these pieces. Faith to journey toward the unknown, to call out to God in distress, to transform our anger into kindness and forgiveness. Our faith in Jesus, the Bread of Life, is truly the perfect food for our journey to eternity.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, grant us the patience to overturn our bitterness, wrangling, and self-serving wrath in thought, word, and action, and to know our own sin more quickly than another’s. Guide our hearts to forgive as we are forgiven, to live in love with our faith sustained by the Bread of Heaven.
~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, fill us with Your Truth to speak peace-filled words that give grace to those who hear. Sway our intent to join together and turn righteous anger into positive energy for the work of Christ across this Planet, this Country, and this Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, whisper Your word of hope to all who wait and struggle in body, mind, or soul, and calm the hearts of all who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, instill deep peace of heart in all who grieve, by knowing that their loved ones now joyfully feast at the glorious banquet of eternal life. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
~ O Lord of Glory and Greatness, enrich the souls of those entrusted with our spiritual growth through our worship, study, and prayer, that brings us unity in Christ as members of one another. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
The Celebrant adds: Eternal and Ever-Living God,
energize our faith and excite our souls that whenever this life brings anger,
grief, or distraction from You, we do not fall into sin but seek to live and
act as the living legacy of salvation through Christ. We ask through Jesus, our
sacred Bread of Life; and the Holy Spirit by whom we are Sealed for Redemption;
who together with You are One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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