The State of Our Union

 The State of Our Union

The View from the Middle

 

This Sunday I was blessed to hear a great message created by two local religious leaders that I respect greatly; Jim Hall and Mickey Rapier.  Since Jim delivered the message I asked for his permission to share it with you, my audience, and obviously, he approved.  This captures my feelings, but is expressed so eloquently that it made more sense to forward it on to you rather than trying to rewrite it.  Their and my concern has always been for this country and not for any individual, or party or even an ideology.  Here is their message.

 

On Wednesday, a scene unfolded that I never thought I would see in our nation. Citizens of our country stormed the United States Capitol. Episodes like this, I thought, only happen in books or movies… 

But as I reflect, the last year has been filled with significant, embarrassing, self-inflicted wounds. And they were not visited upon us by one specific political party, social movement, hate-group, or person. The wounds and impending scars are the result of a sin-infested, myopic culture with people determined to have things their own way, regardless of what it may cost others.

As a nation, we find ourselves far, far away from the words of Jesus…“Love one another.” His instruction for us is to love. There are no qualifiers such as, “love…if they agree with you,” or “love, if they look like you.” He even said we are to “love our enemies!”.  With few exceptions, God reserves the notion of hate for Himself alone, knowing that we can’t properly handle such an idea. We are to love one another. It occurs to me that possibly every wound inflicted upon our nation this past year could have been avoided or healed had we embraced love, rather than attempted to manage hate. We have been divided and decimated by our hatred.  I, Jim, would add that we have an enemy that loves the hatred and divisiveness that is running rampant right now in our nation especially on social media.  As Lee (Jim’s fellow pastor) stated earlier this week, this hatred and divisiveness is spiritual warfare.

We are in desperate need of unity and peace, which will only be found in the context of love for one another. We need to pray, both individually and corporately, for our nation. Please don’t get caught up in the negative rhetoric that is dividing us. And I, Jim, would add if you are doing it repent and change your behavior. Maintaining your values and beliefs doesn’t require an equal measure of hate or disgust to what you receive on social media or anywhere else. Rise above the angry noise and hear the voice of God speaking to your soul.

 

Let me pray for us now.

 

Lord, as you know our nation is in a deep spiritual crisis.  First and foremost, I pray for a great spiritual awakening in America that only your Spirit can usher in.  Our hope is not in a politician or a political party but in You and our eyes are on you.  Lord, no one person can repent for a whole nation, but your Old Testament prophets lamented to you about the sins of their people.   In as much as it means anything, I repent and I am grieved by our great cultural sins of materialism and greed, pride and arrogance, a consuming love of ourselves and the passing pleasures of sin, our sexual immorality, our violence and lawlessness, the racism and hatred, the thousands of abortions, drug and alcohol abuse and our promotion of an undisciplined and futile way of life stemming from a rejection of Your value system.  Have mercy, God, and please don’t deprive our leaders of at least some degree of common civility and good sense in the days ahead.  I pray that the people called by Your name would love you with all our hearts, souls and minds and live in the way You modeled for us and help us to, as You said in as much as it is possible, to live at peace with everyone even those who hate us.  Grant us, your people, the capacity to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. No matter what this year brings.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.