Pastor Carol is sharing from “DAILY FEAST; Meditations from FEASTING ON THE WORD.”

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel; Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. (v. 1) Isaiah 43:1-7

Who are we? Where do we belong? What makes us worthy? Isaiah 43 speaks not only to us as individuals but also to us as communities of faith. The prophet reminds us that core identity lies not in our roles as individuals or in our relative size and wealth as congregations, but in God’s identification of us as “precious in my sight and honored.” Our sense of belonging comes not from the acceptance of our peers or the status of our communities but from the One who claims us and will never let us go. What makes us worthy is not our individual achievements or the size of our congregational budgets but God’s gracious love. ~ W. CARTER LESTER

Rev. Carol D. Sparks
Hate Hurts. Grace Heals. Love Wins!