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Today's meditation
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The way it doesn't work
John 1:1-18: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth….From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
The book The Great Dechurching speaks of the continuing decline in church participation. Its authors say, “driving out most people who leave is … just how American life works in the 21st century.” They continue, “Contemporary America simply isn’t set up to promote mutuality, care, or common life….[but] is designed to maximize individual accomplishment …”
My resistance to their findings is this: Does American life ‘work’ in our time? Our society is filled with vague dissatisfaction, constant striving, violence, and loneliness. I don’t question the authors’ findings; instead I lament what we as a society value.
John’s Gospel tells us that “the Word became flesh and lived among us." John goes on to say that, in the incarnation, “we have seen his glory” and “have all received, grace upon grace.” We receive God’s grace in part from community with other human beings, so nurturing the relationship with God requires relationship with God’s people. We are made in the image of Christ, which means our physical selves are to receive and reflect the grace of God.
If we did more of that reflection—together—perhaps contemporary America would ‘work’ far better than it does now.
Psalms 1,2,3; Genesis 2:4-9(10-15)16-25; Hebrews 1:1-14
Copyright 2026 by Carol Mead. For noncommercial use and sharing only. For more information on this ministry, and on a free subscription to these meditations, please contact the author by email (thenewmead@yahoo.com).
The book The Great Dechurching speaks of the continuing decline in church participation. Its authors say, “driving out most people who leave is … just how American life works in the 21st century.” They continue, “Contemporary America simply isn’t set up to promote mutuality, care, or common life….[but] is designed to maximize individual accomplishment …”
My resistance to their findings is this: Does American life ‘work’ in our time? Our society is filled with vague dissatisfaction, constant striving, violence, and loneliness. I don’t question the authors’ findings; instead I lament what we as a society value.
John’s Gospel tells us that “the Word became flesh and lived among us." John goes on to say that, in the incarnation, “we have seen his glory” and “have all received, grace upon grace.” We receive God’s grace in part from community with other human beings, so nurturing the relationship with God requires relationship with God’s people. We are made in the image of Christ, which means our physical selves are to receive and reflect the grace of God.
If we did more of that reflection—together—perhaps contemporary America would ‘work’ far better than it does now.
Psalms 1,2,3; Genesis 2:4-9(10-15)16-25; Hebrews 1:1-14
Copyright 2026 by Carol Mead. For noncommercial use and sharing only. For more information on this ministry, and on a free subscription to these meditations, please contact the author by email (thenewmead@yahoo.com).