"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - Jesus
Ok, guys. I'm just going to address the (GOP) elephant in the room. Donald Trump is our President Elect. And to me, in my relatively small circle of Christian friends, it feels like the wheels are coming off within a lot of our own Christian communities. In fact, they have been coming off for awhile, but this is kind of the straw that broke the camel's back and has really revealed to our culture how seemingly confused and divided is our Christian community.
The admonishment by Jesus to "love one another" and "by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another" was made in regard to loving each other, that is, brothers and sisters of the Christian faith.
So, you can keep your answers to yourself here, but how do you think we are doing right now? How do you think our country/world thinks we are doing with this whole "loving each other"? Do you think people not of the faith are around saying; "Wow! I am REALLY seeing and feeling the love from those Jesus people!"
Just based on social media feeds, Christian publications, and admittedly even the rumination of my own heart, I'm going to have say: NOPE.
I deleted all of my social media accounts months before the election because at that point already, my heart couldn't take it. There was so much negativity. So much anger. And now after the election, out of sick curiosity, I logged onto my husband's account and what I found was abhorrent. And, Christians, the ugly postings? The angry words? It was us. A lot of it was us.
So much of what I read was divisive language. So much of it tore each other down. It may have been thinly veiled, but it was there: If you didn't vote like me, brother or sister, we must love a different Jesus because just HELLO?!
Many of us that were not in the Trump camp look at the exit polls and point to other Christians and say, "IT'S YOUR FAULT!" And those of us that were in the Trump camp shout back to those other Christians, "YAH, NO THANKS TO YOU!"
There's a lot of shouting going on.
And I'm here to say: Can we just cool it? First of all, if the election told us anything at the very surface level, it is the media cannot be trusted nor can pollsters or their polls. So, why are we clinging to stats and figures and news reports? And then, on a grander scale, even after the election, why are we clinging so tightly to our favorite candidates as if our salvation depended on it?
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD."
One of things that just keeps running through my mind as I'm writing this are some of the descriptions and names of God He has given us about Himself:
Prince of Peace. King of Kings. Savior. Redeemer. Friend. Father. Healer.
Do any of those names describe or encompass Donald J. Trump or Hillary R. Clinton? Would either of those two people bring peace, salvation, or unconditional love to all of us? I think you're all (hopefully) with me on this one and shaking your head 'no'. So, then why oh, Christian are our words, our postings, our conversations with one another saying otherwise?! Some of us are acting like Hillary Clinton was the answer to all our problems and are crying, mourning her loss. Some are acting like Donald Trump is our knight in shining armor in to swoop American off its feet and woo her back to her alleged youthful beauty.
But, instead of posting how "sad" we are because of the election results or "disappointed" or "fearful", why not use words of Godly power to unify, strengthen, and bring the GOOD NEWS of Jesus in the face of all of this uncertainty and hurt?
Instead of boasting of a Trump win and boasting in how he is going to "make America great again" can we boast in the power of only Jesus to bring rest and peace to a struggling people? Because nothing can make our country great again or even greater than it ever has been than by turning ourselves away from just mere allegiance to security and country and toward our undivided allegiance toward God.
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
You guys. This is our time, as a church, as a people to be who God has asked us to be: To let our light therefore shine before men through true repentance and prayer. This is our time to not show a divided people, but a people so united in our love for Jesus Christ that people can't help be drawn to it as the culture/kingdom they worship falls into chaos. We should be utterly amped at this opportunity -- when people across BOTH (immense emphasis on both) aisles are trying to label each of us by race, religion, sexuality -- to show without fear and hesitation the love and promise of salvation that is available to ALL of us. Because who is the ONE ruler in all of history who said under Him there is zero labels and really meant it? Nationality, religion, gender, born or unborn ... All of them ONE under Him? Jesus. Jesus said that. I guess if we're going to shout, let's shout that truth by simply living it.
"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love ..."
-Jesus
True revival is stirring in my heart, brother and sister, and I believe God is stirring the same in yours. He is calling us back to our first love, not our favorite candidate for President, and He is calling us in a renewed call to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. God often uses times of struggle, times of doubt, to bring clear our need for Him.
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
Can we recognize that even though we live in a shining superpower of the world with a sterling democratic republic that we still need Him? Obviously, we need Him to heal our land. But first, we need to individually be changed from within; redirect our hearts, repent, and forsake all other idols that we have put before Him -- country, politics, even our own churches, our own families, our own children, our own selves -- and simply go back to our first love: Jesus. Then, we can love one another purely. Then, they will know we are His. Then, healing can come to our land.
The real responsibility is with me and you. Not the president. Not the government. Me and you.
Will you join me in revival?
Ok, guys. I'm just going to address the (GOP) elephant in the room. Donald Trump is our President Elect. And to me, in my relatively small circle of Christian friends, it feels like the wheels are coming off within a lot of our own Christian communities. In fact, they have been coming off for awhile, but this is kind of the straw that broke the camel's back and has really revealed to our culture how seemingly confused and divided is our Christian community.
The admonishment by Jesus to "love one another" and "by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another" was made in regard to loving each other, that is, brothers and sisters of the Christian faith.
So, you can keep your answers to yourself here, but how do you think we are doing right now? How do you think our country/world thinks we are doing with this whole "loving each other"? Do you think people not of the faith are around saying; "Wow! I am REALLY seeing and feeling the love from those Jesus people!"
Just based on social media feeds, Christian publications, and admittedly even the rumination of my own heart, I'm going to have say: NOPE.
I deleted all of my social media accounts months before the election because at that point already, my heart couldn't take it. There was so much negativity. So much anger. And now after the election, out of sick curiosity, I logged onto my husband's account and what I found was abhorrent. And, Christians, the ugly postings? The angry words? It was us. A lot of it was us.
So much of what I read was divisive language. So much of it tore each other down. It may have been thinly veiled, but it was there: If you didn't vote like me, brother or sister, we must love a different Jesus because just HELLO?!
Many of us that were not in the Trump camp look at the exit polls and point to other Christians and say, "IT'S YOUR FAULT!" And those of us that were in the Trump camp shout back to those other Christians, "YAH, NO THANKS TO YOU!"
There's a lot of shouting going on.
And I'm here to say: Can we just cool it? First of all, if the election told us anything at the very surface level, it is the media cannot be trusted nor can pollsters or their polls. So, why are we clinging to stats and figures and news reports? And then, on a grander scale, even after the election, why are we clinging so tightly to our favorite candidates as if our salvation depended on it?
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD."
One of things that just keeps running through my mind as I'm writing this are some of the descriptions and names of God He has given us about Himself:
Prince of Peace. King of Kings. Savior. Redeemer. Friend. Father. Healer.
Do any of those names describe or encompass Donald J. Trump or Hillary R. Clinton? Would either of those two people bring peace, salvation, or unconditional love to all of us? I think you're all (hopefully) with me on this one and shaking your head 'no'. So, then why oh, Christian are our words, our postings, our conversations with one another saying otherwise?! Some of us are acting like Hillary Clinton was the answer to all our problems and are crying, mourning her loss. Some are acting like Donald Trump is our knight in shining armor in to swoop American off its feet and woo her back to her alleged youthful beauty.
But, instead of posting how "sad" we are because of the election results or "disappointed" or "fearful", why not use words of Godly power to unify, strengthen, and bring the GOOD NEWS of Jesus in the face of all of this uncertainty and hurt?
Instead of boasting of a Trump win and boasting in how he is going to "make America great again" can we boast in the power of only Jesus to bring rest and peace to a struggling people? Because nothing can make our country great again or even greater than it ever has been than by turning ourselves away from just mere allegiance to security and country and toward our undivided allegiance toward God.
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."
You guys. This is our time, as a church, as a people to be who God has asked us to be: To let our light therefore shine before men through true repentance and prayer. This is our time to not show a divided people, but a people so united in our love for Jesus Christ that people can't help be drawn to it as the culture/kingdom they worship falls into chaos. We should be utterly amped at this opportunity -- when people across BOTH (immense emphasis on both) aisles are trying to label each of us by race, religion, sexuality -- to show without fear and hesitation the love and promise of salvation that is available to ALL of us. Because who is the ONE ruler in all of history who said under Him there is zero labels and really meant it? Nationality, religion, gender, born or unborn ... All of them ONE under Him? Jesus. Jesus said that. I guess if we're going to shout, let's shout that truth by simply living it.
"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love ..."
-Jesus
True revival is stirring in my heart, brother and sister, and I believe God is stirring the same in yours. He is calling us back to our first love, not our favorite candidate for President, and He is calling us in a renewed call to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. God often uses times of struggle, times of doubt, to bring clear our need for Him.
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
Can we recognize that even though we live in a shining superpower of the world with a sterling democratic republic that we still need Him? Obviously, we need Him to heal our land. But first, we need to individually be changed from within; redirect our hearts, repent, and forsake all other idols that we have put before Him -- country, politics, even our own churches, our own families, our own children, our own selves -- and simply go back to our first love: Jesus. Then, we can love one another purely. Then, they will know we are His. Then, healing can come to our land.
The real responsibility is with me and you. Not the president. Not the government. Me and you.
Will you join me in revival?
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