There is so much more to God, to the Divine, to the Holy than we, as human beings, can imagine.

This story tells us that god does not hide from us. God speaks to us in our language, meets us where we are.

We are called, we are urged, we are beckoned, we are sometimes challenged, to be a part of making the presence of God visible to those around us. And in so doing we can then see the presence of God around us

The signs and the wonders don’t come first. The studying, and the prayer, the breaking of bread, and the fellowship come first. all of these are how we ensure that we are in fit spiritual condition so that we can extend the message of God’s love and acceptance and inclusion to the rest of the world.

Even John, the gospel that more than any other gospel - stresses the idea that one must believe in Jesus, also goes to pains to make sure we know that we have to do the stuff, too. The fact that we DO THE STUFF is an indication that we believe in Jesus.

Go and tell that the darkness has been overcome by light.

Go and tell that new life is waiting.

Go and tell that we have a future filled with hope.

Now is the time to share God’s non-violence, God’s peace. To participate in the kingdom of god and shout to the roof tops that there is a better way. A harder way, for sure. A more difficult way. No doubt. But a better way.

What is this truth that Jesus says he is testifying to? The truth that God is love. The truth is God is nonviolent The truth is that God's idea of power and Empire's idea of power are probably two different things.

We have encountered God in the wilderness and we have been transformed. We find ourselves in the desert, confronted with questions, challenges too big for us to bear, but we are not alone. Let’s remember that in the desert of our lives, that it is God that bears us up…