July 19, 2026

Our Lectionary readings for next Sunday, July 19, are Exodus 3:1-12; Psalm 103:1-13; Romans 8:18-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.

In his book Does God Exist?, Hans Kung says that the bedrock of atheism is the reality of evil and suffering in the world. That might be so, but Scripture never seems to shy away from an honest recognition that the world is not now as God originally created it. We also read in Scripture that the world is not now the way it will one day be when God's kingdom comes in its fullest expression. 

What about the meantime? How is God at work now? Jesus has plenty to say about that. Whether we like it or not, one thing he says is a call to a patient trust that signals to the world that we don't have to make sure everything comes out all right. It is the promise of God that God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the meantime, God has placed in the world a people who are called to exhibit a trust that says evil will not have the last word--God will.