This is what our God looks like

I had the blessing of marching with Brite Divinity School of TCU at the Ft. Worth Pride Parade yesterday. 

It was my first experience at a Pride Parade and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. What I experienced was sacredness. 

We marched together, persons of different colors and ethnicities. Different sexual orientations and identities. Different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Different religions. But united in one common belief of equality and acceptance and courage and love. 

As we marched down the streets of Ft. Worth, we were surrounded by people on each side of the barricades. People with signs proclaiming free mom hugs or free dad hugs or free sister hugs. People in support of those present on each side of the barricade. People with signs and voices vehemently spouting hate and disdain. “God hates queers” “After Death is Judgment” “Homosexuality is a sin” among others. 

But what happened as we approached these groups was where the sacred came in. One of the divinity students would chant loudly to our group: “Tell me what our God looks like” and the group would respond, with one voice and one heart, “This is what our God looks like!” 

And friends, God was in the midst of that as fully as I was. I felt as if I should take off my shoes because I was surely standing on holy ground. 

This is what our God looks like. 

In the book of Exodus where God speaks to Moses out of the burning bush, God says to him:

“Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground." Then the LORD said, "I’ve clearly seen my people oppressed in Egypt. I’ve heard their cry of injustice because of their slave masters. I know about their pain. I’ve come down to rescue them from the Egyptians in order to take them out of that land and bring them to a good and broad land, a land that’s full of milk and honey.”

Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground. I’ve clearly seen my people oppressed. I’ve heard their cry of injustice. I’ve come down to rescue them. 

I stood in the midst of that yesterday. 

This is what our God looks like. 

If you feel homosexuality is a sin, that’s between you and God. It’s not my job to try to change your mind. But I will ask you not to hate and not to judge. Because that isn’t your job anymore than it is mine to change you. 

This is what our God looks like. 

He looks like all those marching with us yesterday. Every race. Every sexual identity or orientation. Every age, socioeconomic background, and religion. In all our differences and in all our similarities. In all our pain and all our joy. And most of all, in all our love, acceptance, and hope for healing. 

This is what our God looks like.