by Bernita Babb
edited by Bob Terwilliger, spring 2023
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child” (1 Corinthians 13:11a). Every Sunday, my grandmother would take the three of us to Sunday School, where we were taught about an invisible God to whom we sang songs, played games, prayed, and even gave him our pennies! His name was Jesus and getting to know him was tough as I did not know how or even why we had to serve a God we never saw!
As I became older, I began to put these childish thoughts behind me and wanted to know more about him. This prayer was learned and stored deep in my mind and heart: “Lord, help me to know thee, that I may truly love thee; so, to love thee that I may fully serve thee, who to serve is perfect freedom. Amen.”
Throughout the years, maturity in thought, word, and deed was displayed in joyful service within every church ministry, except pastoral preaching. It was a time to weep and mourn as I witnessed the evil practices of greed and power and jealously rear their ugly heads in the congregation. Inevitably, this turned into the “isms” — favoritism, nepotism, racism, ageism, sexism—and deadly competition caused by gossiping, back-biting, coveting, bearing false witness, etc. Under the disguise of respect and obedience, violence and injustice reigned instead of fairness and justice. In truth, the church was forsaking her first love: Jesus the Christ, the Invisible God! The church was the microcosm of the world!
At this point in my life, it was time to search and time to give up and get away from the church chaos. I sought wisdom, knowledge, and understanding through study at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey and Palmer Seminary in Pennsylvania. Under the instruction, learning, and concern of distinguished professors, my prayer (above) has been answered: We can know and see our Invisible God in his body of teaching: the Bible! In other words, Jesus Christ becomes visible to us in his Word, which is drawn from his omnipotent, infinite love and wisdom. If we really reflect on his life (who he is and what he is about), we connect with him through our understanding and our will. This connection must be (or exist) in our thoughts and our loves. Isaiah 29:13 declares: “These people … honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me…”
Finally, in these retirement years, I lament the brokenness and scattering of our beloved RCA. My prayer of divine visibility will encompass all who earnestly seek and know our Lord Jesus Christ and work toward reconciliation and forgiveness. “O, may it all our powers engage to do the Master’s will…” Amen.
Bernita received her BS from Hunter College, an MDiv from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and a DMin from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She was the first African American woman to be ordained in the Reformed Church in America. From 1992 to 1999, she served as pastor and teacher of the Mott Haven Reformed Church in South Bronx, New York. Prior to going into ministry, she was a dietitian and teaching dietitian, a beautician and teacher of Beauty Culture; and she served as teacher of Home Economics in the New York City Board of Education High School System for over 27 years. She’s the mother of two daughters, Pamela and Melanie. After relocation to Maryland to be with her elderly mother, Rev. Dr. Babb served as regular and substitute teacher in the Prince George’s County Public Schools. She also visited various churches in the MD/DC metropolitan areas and served as Bible Instructor. bernsie11@ yahoo.com
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