Pride Month Weekly Devotional: Week of June 29, 2021

​Introduction
Welcome to Lutheran Church of Christ the King’s weekly devotional during June 2021! If this is your first time with us, take a minute to pause and go back to watch or read the previous weeks. 

I’m Pastor Megan Filer, my pronouns are she/her/hers, and I am part of the LGBTQ+ community. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, we seek to let all people know they are welcome regardless of race, age, culture, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

As part of our ongoing commitment to welcome and affirm all people, LCCK is invited during this pride month to learn more about our siblings in the LGBTQ+ community as we continue to set the banquet of grace for all people.
As this is our last Tuesday in June, I wanted to take the time to thank you for joining us this month, and to invite us into a time of sabbath rest, grace-filled generosity, and hope for all people.
 
History
Tomorrow, June 30th, is Give Out Day, which culminates a month of giving for the LGBTQ+ community. The day is hosted by the Horizons Foundation, partnering with tens of thousands of organizations in fundraising for over 600 non-profits globally who support the health, well-being, and lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and groups. Our own ELCA-specific organizations like Reconciling Works which we discussed last week are also included in Give-Out Day, and we invite you this week as we close out Pride month, to make some time for rest, for your own sabbath, and if you’re interested, to read more about the resources available through Give Out Day.
 
Scripture:      Luke 13:10-17 from the New Revised Standard Version
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
 
Story
Sabbath was something I don’t think I really learned well until seminary. I had always been a bit of a workaholic – working sometimes 70-80 hours a week. What can I say – I really enjoyed the overtime money – even if it I rarely got to spend it because I was so busy with work.
When I began seminary, my workaholic tendencies continued, except instead of overtime, it was with school and church work alongside my employment. There was a period where I was overloading on classes, in chaplain residency 12 hours a week, working two church jobs, alongside my bookkeeping work for my mom’s business.
Lo and behold – I was exhausted, and my physical, mental, and spiritual health all suffered for it. Eventually a kind friend started helping me to seek out ways to create sabbath time – even if I couldn’t hold an entire day as holy just for God and for my own holy rest.
As time has gone on, I’ve appreciated the reminders throughout the Hebrew bible to hold a sabbath rest, as a reminder of God’s saving work for the Israelites out of Egypt, as time to focus on worshipping God, as time to sit in the silent presence of God’s Spirit around us.
And I also continue to appreciate to the “work” that Jesus does on the sabbath throughout the Gospel – reminding us that the sabbath is not just about taking a nap or reading scripture for the day – but as we care for ourselves: for our physical, mental, and spiritual health – we also care for the health of those around us.
For Jesus in our reading today, it’s the healing of this woman in the synagogue, a small act for Jesus, a small cost to him, but a great healing power for her.
As we close out this month of Pride for the LGBTQ+ community, whether you are part of the community, an ally, or someone looking to share God’s healing grace with all people, my hope for us is that we can create some time for sabbath – some time for holy rest and healing for ourselves and for those around us, sharing what we can in holy generosity, and preparing ourselves because the work of God’s healing grace does not end. And thanks be to God for that.
 
 
Prayer
Holy God, you provide healing, safety, and community for all people. Help us to care for ourselves with your holy sabbath as we look to your Word of hope and grace. Guide us with your generosity to share that same hope and grace with us, and continue to hold all people in loving embrace. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, the redeeming of your Son, we pray, amen.
 
Continued Reading:
Today’s sources:
Give Out Day Links:
https://www.giveoutday.org/
https://www.giveoutday.org/giving-events/giveout21/about Reconciling in Christ & Reconciling Works
reconcilingworks.org