In other words, by God’s grace, Black History Month and the voices of color around me teach me to see how the Gospel of Jesus has reached into even the most divisive of issues and calls me to receive and participate in His reconciling, Kingdom work on the earth. And this is the beauty of our Lord, that He would take the things that are so difficult for many to talk about and invite us into the artwork of His redemption through it.
We must recognize that the various topics above have impacted people differently and our hearts should be moved to speak and act from empathy. We must see that even if we are right about a topic that our call is right relationship with those around us. We must return to the Lord and remember the foundation of following Jesus above our worldview and convenience.
Hindsight is 2020, but before us is 2021. Let us be a people marked by love, commissioned in grace, and filled with everything we need to be a blessing to those around us. I believe as we do, we will see the tides turn in this year, and we will experience the fullness of God’s promise. The best is yet to come. Amen.
The thing about light is that we don’t turn on a light switch to see light, we turn on light to see. The reality is that light illuminates what was dark, hidden, and could not be seen. Light is a source of vision where there was none. Light gives perspective when we couldn’t perceive it. Light permeates darkness until what was obscure is now certain.
This Love not only shows us the reality of our sin but the greater reality of eternal life. This Love not only opens our hearts to the momentary truth of our feelings but the everlasting truth of the passion of Agape love. This Love breaks off chains and fills empty spaces. It calls up, sees the best, and makes impossible things possible. Agape gives us the ability to receive and give love in unique ways and calls us to contend for the highest possible good for those around us.
When I was young, the joy of Christmas was based on the gifts I did or did not receive. Later on, I heard that “it is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35).” Somewhere along the way, I discovered that whether I went above and beyond to generously give and find the perfect present, or received what I most wanted on Christmas day, joy was ultimately a choice.
In Christ, peace is our present and future promise that dwells in our hearts through faith and goes beyond our understanding. It’s the stillness of our hearts in the midst of storms to find rest with the Rabbi that leads to the stillness of the waters. It’s the calm of our minds in the blowing winds of our world’s circumstances that brings complete quiet.
Friends, I know many feel hopeless, alone, and full of pain. I know there are circumstances, relationships, and outcomes that do not look like we had hoped. I also know that there is an anchor for our soul in the midst of it all. I know that this anchor roots us, grounds us, and tethers us to hope. I know that this Hope is a man, and His name is Jesus, and His invitation is for all who are feeling lifeless and waiting to breathe again.
As we move forward beyond this election, as we press on with this global pandemic, as we continue to live and move and have our being, let us not neglect the Word and our call. This is not a season for growing in political biases, preferences, or opinions, but to grow in the Lord. His Word is the Final Word and He's calling us to mature.
If we stick together, we can accomplish anything. The good news is that the victory has already been won. It is finished. We simply get to invite and unite under the banner of our Champion and King, Jesus. Amen.
I am praying and dreaming of a day in which the message of Christ is so accurately proclaimed and displayed that people's "did they really just say that!?" is a desperate cry to hear more of the only Good News that will ever change things eternally and lead us to the love, action, and way of life we need now.
Now more than ever, we need to be people who keep their vows. Our witness of faithfulness to the world in the midst of constantly changing opinions, divisions, and convenience-oriented relationships/practices provides stability and points to the only truth that will set free: the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
We have never been called to convenience, comfortability, or complacency. Our goal is that our education and empathy-building processes would lead to effort. As we listen, become more deeply informed, and have our hearts stirred, we will find the next right steps to not just hear the Word but do the Word.
“I can't tell you how freeing this was for me to simply shift my thoughts from, "I'll always be this way" to "This is where I trend most and I can grow."
Lastly, the Lord didn't just put a band-aid on the situation. He didn't just tell them what they wanted to hear, He told them what they NEEDED to hear. He didn't say, "It's gonna be okay..." He eternally prophesied through Ezekiel the plan of a forever-redemption in Jesus. And, He didn't just speak about it, HE FINISHED IT.
And believe me, our words are not always going to be perfect. I struggle with finding the right way to verbalize things all the time. The goodness of God is that, sometimes, it's not about what, how, when or why we say it, it's just simply about Who we say it about. So, I'm inviting you to partner with me as steward our words to the point to the Word in every season. His name is Jesus, and how we talk about Him matters. Amen.
As I've continued to think about aligners, I've recognized my need for alignment much more often. Yet, graciously and beautifully, an Alignment has been given that corrects every wrong, that pursues me when I run, that breathes truth when I exhale deception, that has broken down every wall and reconstructed a place to dwell within me.
However, there is one Legend who died and lives again. There is a Champion who is crowned Victor of every battle, named the Famous One, and is the source of all these gifts, talents, and legacies I write about. His name is Jesus and although He died, He lives. Although He was buried, He rose. Even though He was crucified, He has conquered sin and death, and now His legacy, His Spirit, and His freedom live on in us.
Each storm has been an invitation to rest in His perspective. Each battle has been an opportunity to recognize that victory is already my portion.
Our goal is to be with God, not to simply do for God. He's already done it for us so that we can be with Him. That's the Good News. Now our doing is from what's already been done so that our focus can be on staying in love with Jesus and connecting with others and ourselves in that love. After all, we're human beings, not human doings. Prioritize connection.
