Dear Friends in Christ –

I just got word from ‘away’ at school that there’s a new favorite song –When Did Your Heart Go Missing?

Easy for me to comment from my ‘mature’ perch that it’s maudlin, predictable, bad music and poor performance, but truth is, it isn’t.
It’s just heartfelt young love gone away.

Sometimes I lift my head from the keyboard, turn my gaze from the screen, put down the phone and wonder the same thing – When did your/our/his/her/my/the heart go missing? What happened to the passion, the compassion, the grace, the empathy of our nation and our community?

We continue this Sunday clothing ourselves in God. Yes, our discussion emanates from first century Roman Legionaire’s armor. That’s something the oppressed Jewish community would have much too vivid a recognition of, so they understand when Paul co-opts the image. Paul appropriates it to demonstrate God’s protection and our opportunity and need to suit up!

The Breastplate of Righteousness protects the very seat of our lives—our hearts. This Sunday gird our loins and stand firm in the righteousness of God our Savior!

In great anticipation -