When God Made Me

Dear Sabbath Bloggers,

This past Sunday was Music Sunday at Islington United Church, a day for celebrating the many gifts that are offered musically in this congregation. Two people offered reflections, one on Bach, the other on Neil Young’s song “When God Made Me.” A young adult preached on the amazing words of this song, and following his spoken word, he sang these words to us:

Was he thinkin' about my country
Or the color of my skin?
Was he thinkin' 'bout my religion
And the way I worshipped him?
Did he create just me in his image
Or every living thing?

When God made me
When God made me

Was he planning only for believers
Or for those who just have faith?
Did he envision all the wars
That were fought in his name?
Did he say there was only one way
To be close to him?

When God made me
When God made me

Did he give me the gift of love
To say who I could choose?

When God made me
When God made me

When God made me
When God made me

Did he give me the gift of voice
So some could silence me?
Did he give me the gift of vision
Not knowing what I might see?
Did he give me the gift of compassion
To help my fellow man?

When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me

Needless to say, the Spirit moved past the safe place I have created to shield my soul from the changing winds of the Spirit. I was especially moved by the words in the last verse where Young speaks of God’s gifts of voice, vision and compassion, each from in the context of love. I was moved to a place of bravery for my youth, for my ministry and for the vision the Spirit has granted to me.

Sarah Chapman, who is working on the GO Project this summer in Toronto, and I have been gathering together to hold not only the GO Project in the light of Sabbath time, but have also bonded together to share each week our joys and struggles, in each our individual beings. A while back, at our last meeting in Tatamagouche, NS many of us on the team shared our difficulties in holding the Sabbath time on our own. My time in sharing with Sarah has re-enforced the necessity of gathering two or more together in sacred time together. I encourage each person, on the team, or simply reading this blog to find one person, with whom you can gather together with, over coffee, over a candle, over a pint, to share your time and story with.

When God made you, a vision of community was created, a vision that sparks into action our voices, our compassion, our hope, our love, for a world that is a better place for all, a church that is truly open to the change found only in the love of God.

I hope these words and the words of Neil Young inspire these gifts to rise up within you.

Peace Sisters and Brothers,
Michael

ps - the following link has a recording of the song if you want a listen, following a 10 second add, enjoy!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4736779