As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

Isaiah 55: 10-13

"Each moment the seed of God's Word is being sown. But we must remember the process--God sows the seed, we do some work, and someone else reaps the benefit. That is the pattern, age-old and repetitive and productive. We ourselves are the product of that ritual. All that we have is the result of reaping the benefits of someone else's hard work, belief and endurance. This attitude is part of the sowing of the seed, the hearing the gospel and the yield."

- Megan McKenna, from "Parables" (from the e-meditation, The Daily Seed)

We are sowers and the medium of hope. Each one of us may have felt the sting of rejection for being "queer" people, yet many of us have had a seed of hope sown in our hearts by the hand(s) of God--perhaps in the guise of a radical follower of a man named Jesus Christ. Someone said--"my friend, there is hope. God loves you--just as you are." And perhaps the seed lay fallow for a time, until one day, one more drop of living water flowed, and this seed began to take root in a parched and dry heart.

We live in hope as a beloved people. Beloved. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God's word is sure and is never lost. God's word to us as gay/lesbian/bi and transgendered people is found in Romans 8: 1-2: "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." We're not "saved" by becoming "ex-gay" (assuming that even is possible) nor are we saved by "passing" as heterosexual. We are not saved by following the letter of the law according to the faith tradition and flavor we follow. We are saved by the Spirit of life through Jesus Christ. It is God who has given us life. It is God who has created us as beloved people--gay, lesbian, bi-, transgendered, asexual, straight and "don't know" rainbow people. And we are freed by the word of God spoken in the incarnational birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God's word does not leave God's mouth empty. God's word waters the dry fields and hearts of our very souls, and through God's word and spirit we are again made alive, no matter our circumstances, no matter what legalistic religionists may say. We live in hope and assurance that the very word of God which shall not be empty. Therefore, continue in your faith and hope. Continue seed sowing. Nothing of the word of God is ever wasted.

Live in hope. Trust in the word of God which plants itself in your very hearts and waters the fields of your soul with the spirit and life of Christ Jesus who loves you, unabashedly, unconditionally, and is ready to grow and sprout with joy in your lesbian, bi, gay, trans, straight or unsure soul. Blessings and peace to you all in the name of our Creator, the living word, Jesus our redeemer, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessings,
Rev. Carol Peterson

Christ Covenant Metropolitan Community Church
Hampton Roads, Virginia.