The Logic of Liberation
Why sit we here until we die? – 2 Kings 7:3 (KJV)
At Gather it’s not uncommon to hear, “Faith defies logic.” To live by the principles of Jesus asks us to see the world in acounterintuitive way. Yet there are plenty of times in scripture where people take illogical action after reasoning things out. While common sense would guide them toward a more “sensible” approach, something deep within guides them the opposite way.
We might think of this as “uncommon sense.” Others often call it “following your first mind.”
The story of Jesus’s birth is a great example. Nothing Joseph and Mary do makes sense. Every move is counterintuitive. Of course, the Gospels tell us they had angelic guidance, and following a supernatural lead makes a lot of sense. But they also exemplify thoughts and behaviors of other biblical characters who (to our knowledge) don’t see angels—everyday people who follow their first minds toward divine protection and provision.
It makes no sense for the woman who’s been quarantined for 12 years due to a bleeding condition to bolt out of her house andtouch Jesus. Yet she does, and she’s cured. It makes no sense for Noah to build a big boat in anticipation of an unprecedented flood. Yet he does, and he, his family, and the planet’s wildlife are saved. It makes no sense for a Roman centurion to welcome a Christian evangelist into his house. Yet Cornelius does, and he and his household are welcomed into the faith. (In the process, he also teaches Peter a thing or two about radical inclusion.)
Following one’s first mind is a theme of our sacred texts. In 2 Kings we find four men who have a stigmatizing skin disease. Fearful of catching it, the community forces them outside the city walls, putting their wellbeing in the precarious care of charitable passersby. When an enemy siege triggers a famine, the men go through their options. Waiting for help from people who’ve already put them at risk makes no sense. Besides there’s no food in the city. There’s no good reason to expect folks who’ve pushed them aside to share what they have.
Still, doing nothing isn’t an option. “Why sit we here until we die?” the men ask. They follow their first mind, which leads them the opposite way of what seems sensible. They go to the enemy’s camp; they find enough food for the entire city and, as a result, they liberate the very people who feared them and wrote them off as useless.
Yes, faith defies logic. But there’s also a logic to liberation. The meek inherit the earth. The last come first. The seemingly weakest are really strongest. Moving toward what we’re taught to fear often liberates us from people and ideas we’re told to trust—and sometimes what we discover liberates those who underestimate and fear us!
This coming Sunday we’ll look more closely at these four intrepid men who refuse to sit around and die. Join us for a special YouTube worship experience, “Say So!” at 5pm CDT. You can access Gather’s YouTube channel here:
We need your help!
As we think about the future of Gather, please let us know what gifts you bring and would like to share with the community. There are many roles that have to come together to make Gather happen every week. This includes setup, technical support, worship, managing handouts and information, coordinating drinks, and teardown. We need your help. Please let us know what type of service you’d be interested in!
Watch God Work,
Tim & Shea
As we prepare to become a vibrant worshipping community, we invite you to enjoy a Spotify playlist that captures the kind of worship we hope to embrace. Give it a spin while you’re driving. Make it your workout jam. Add it to your devotional time. Most of all, feel yourself becoming part of a sacred village of believers who love their God and one another!
Check out the Gather Worship Playlist here.
