…that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present (economic cluster-$^@&) nor the future ("bailout"), nor any powers (empire or market), nor height nor depth (of the Dow), nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.

(Our security – mine and yours – is not owed to Caesar.)

But now, this is what the LORD says—
    he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
    "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
    and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
    When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze."

Don't set your eyes on the future our politicians and talking heads are predicting for us, lest you become consumed by the lie of impending doom or the myth of progress…lest you become convinced that one or the other (or the other or the other) of them can get us on our feet and set things right. There is such a setting to rights coming (and coming here – not in some far away ethereal city in the sky), and we're even invited to join in. It's just not coming from Washington. Not now. Not ever.

Look forward, my friends, to what is coming, not in some far off place, but into the very center of our chaos:

And I heard a loud voice
from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he
will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be
with them and be their God. He
will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away."

 He who was
seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said,
"Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."