Thoughts: the Afternoon After

"... if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." -- 2 Chronicles 7:14

This morning's service at Vineyard City Church was different from last night at Pantano, but equally compelling. I very much appreciate how our pastor, Gary Stokes, spoke directly to our hearts and our lives about how the church at large has contributed to the atmosphere of hatred and violence in this nation. People say all kinds of things in the name of Jesus...and it has to stop. Opinion is fine, but verbal attacks on individuals and groups must come to an end. We've got to find a way to be bold without hatred; firm in our stances while also listening and coming alongside others.

I also love how he boldly reminded us that the ONLY government that matters (and can do anything about the world's problems) is the Kingdom which is ruled by a King who wasn't elected. And following THAT King is what is going to heal our land. Those of us who are Jesus-followers need to put His Kingdom first, and be in the world and not of it.

How do we do this? One way is by how we forgive others. I just finished reading "Total Forgiveness" by R.T. Kendall, and he said that Christians need first and foremost to practice complete forgiveness, and THAT is what is going to draw people to Jesus. That's the main way we can show love to one another... by forgiving offenses, not seeking vengeance (and that is often a heart thing), and trusting God for HIS justice in HIS timing. Far easier to forgive someone for hurting our feelings than for shooting someone dead...but who said following Jesus was supposed to be easy?

This is NOT that we turn a blind eye to sin, injustice, violence, etc. NOT AT ALL. But it does mean we approach it in a different way. Here's an example:

Yesterday John McCain declared Jared Loughner (the shooter; he does have a name) "a disgrace to Arizona, this country and the human race, and [deserves] and will receive the contempt of all decent people." Really? Well I've got some news for Sen. McCain. Jared Loughner is receiving prayers from Christians all over the world who know they are capable of any sin at any time...and that Jesus would want Jared and his family to come to know Him...to not be discarded as waste. People are weeping over ALL that happened yesterday, including the grief Jared's family must be going through. It's wonderful rhetoric, Senator McCain, to stir people to contempt, but what you fail to realize is that it ONLY ADDS TO THE PROBLEM. Let's hate the shooter. Let's hate anyone who commits crime. Let's hate anyone who kills someone. Let's hate them enough to kill them, too. When does it end?

Do we feel these things?? OF COURSE! I appreciated Gary's honesty in expressing how angry he felt while listening to the rhetoric on the radio yesterday. FEELING outrage, anger, the longing for justice, etc. is fine. Expressing it to God is not only good, it's necessary. (Has anyone read the Psalms where David cries out for all manner of vengeance? Hello?) But it is a far, far different thing to put that hatred "out there" on the airwaves, on the internet. Are we spreading our anger and hatred, or are we spreading concern and compassion? Are we asking how we can help? Or are we just spewing more poison into the mix?

I've seen "friends" on Facebook say horrible things to each other, all in the name of Jesus. The quest for holiness and righteousness CANNOT have any hatred attached to it. That's a complete oxymoron. "Let me spew hate at you so you will become more righteous like me." I don't think so.

But we do it all the time, in various ways and to varying degrees...don't we? Church, in my opinion, it's time for us to once again look in the mirror and deal with the plank sticking out of our eye.

Forgive us, Father, for we know not what we do. I would add to that, please show us what we do so we can repent and turn from our wicked ways.