Are You Safe in Church?

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalm 91:11-12

I know I discussed safety on this blog only a couple of months again.  We were in Israel and I reflected on the fact that people were asking me, “Is it safe there?”  Well the subject came up again this week.  This time the question wasn’t about Israel.  This time the question was, “Do you feel safe in Church?”  I was being interviewed by a reporter. She wanted my reaction as an American pastor to the shootings at the Church in South Carolina.

I, like I am sure most of you, had a mixture of reactions – anger, grief and sadness.  I was angry that people at a prayer meeting in a church would be shot at by a man apparently filled with racial hatred.  I have also been grieved for the nine families who lost people they loved.  I was saddened, thinking how this would affect how people look at Americans.  I want people here to know that this isn’t what Americans are like.  Americans are a kind and generous people, not madmen with guns. 

Then the reporter asked the question, “How will this affect you?  Will you still feel safe in church?” Wow!  How sad that we even have to ask that.  How terribly tragic it is that in some places children must pass through metal detectors to go into their schools. How sad that now we need to worry about safety at a church prayer meeting!  How sad that there are pastors with body guards protecting them!

Are you safe in Church?  I think the people from that church in South Carolina have given the right answer to this question.  Look at their reaction.  Within hours of the arrest of the man who did this, they acted to say to him – we forgive you!  In the midst of all their grief, they were concerned for the shooter, for his spiritual well-being.  Wow. That’s what Jesus did for us.  Within moments of being nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed for those who executed Him.  “Father forgive them.”  He was also praying for us.  After all, our sins nailed Jesus to that cross. We too are His executioners.  He prays for our forgiveness. 

Are you safe in Church?  Our safety isn’t the issue.  Our safety is God’s concern. Psalm 91 -  “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”  Ours is the confidence that Luther expressed in the final words of his famous hymn -  “Take they goods, fame, child or wife.  Let these all be gone.  They yet have noting won.  The kingdom ours remaineth.”  Ours is the confidence that even should the worst possible things happen to us, we are still safe in the Father’s hands.

Being safe isn’t the mission God gave us.. Jesus did not say to us, “Go and be safe in Church.” He said “Go into all the world…” He calls us to love others, even our enemies, even those who harm us, as we have been loved by God.  “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  Why? “Because God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us…. While we were God’s enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…”  (Romans 5)  With our God we are free from worry and fear to love as we have been loved, to love even those who hate us.  After all, the person full of hate needs to know the God who loves him..