Quote another verse
Say another prayer
Sing another song
Moving right along...
Dot every i and cross every t
God is so very proud of me.
I'm doing great
Have it all figured out.
Don't expose my doubt
He might kick me out.
Quote another verse
Say another prayer
Sing another song
Moving right along...
Wait, what's wrong?
What's happening to me?
Can't keep it up, I'm falling...
How can this be?
Quote another verse
Say another prayer
Sing another song
Moving right along...
Hold on, do it right
Fight the good fight!
Quote another verse
Say another prayer
Sing another song
Moving right along...
Arms stretched out
Ready to brace
Adjust the mask
Protect my face!
Landing softly
Love covers me
Under this blanket
I can finally see.
Here I am,
And here I'll be
It always was Him,
never me!
Not holding on
Being held
By He.
Striving is dead.
I've learned to be
My cheeks are red
But no shame in me
I've been smacked
in the face
by grace.
I'm free!!!
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Politics...Throwing My Hat in the Ring
I don't know too much about politics.
I do know that politics bring out the worst in people. I know that politics feed the "US vs. THEM" mentality that I believe Jesus came to abolish.
I don't know the candidates. I have never met them. I only know what the media says about them. I do know that they are both created in God's image, just like me. I think they probably both believe they are right in their beliefs for our country. I know that they are parents, husband, wife, flesh and blood people who hurt and laugh and cry. Flawed people, who need God's love as much as I do.
I know that Jesus said we are all His brothers and sisters.
I know that God said we are all His children. I know that I hurt when my children are fighting.
And I know that it affects our children when they see we adults fighting and calling people names, and doing the very things that we instruct them not to do.
I know that God didn't say He would legislate His Kingdom on earth. He did say that He would pour out His Spirit on us, and we would demonstrate His Kingdom through our lives; in the way we act and behave... Loving our neighbors and laying down our lives for love and friendship, and walking in the grace we have received from Him. Forgiving. Extending mercy.
It doesn't seem like we are winning our battles with the weapons He instructed us to use...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control.
(Not hateful political posts and prideful arguments.)
He said he would pour out his spirit on ALL flesh...not just Americans.
I hear the cry, "Bring America back to our foundation! God loves America! We founded America on Godly principles!"
Tell that to the native people we uprooted out of their land, and slaughtered in the name of our God.
But now we hate and fear Muslims...because they are radical extremists who kill and uproot in the name of Allah, their God...
It makes me think maybe America wasn't founded on the godliness of man or godly principals.
Maybe instead, it was founded on the great grace of God.
Maybe we can't take any credit or hold ourselves up as better than the other nations.
Maybe we can only marvel at a God who would allow us to be blessed and to prosper in spite of our horrible acts and deeds.
And maybe we can emulate God by extending this same grace and love to other confused religious people who also have gross misconceptions of God, and who are committing the same sort of violence toward us...that we committed toward the native people, and African people we kidnapped against their will and brought to..."America, the beautiful".
Maybe it isn't "us vs them" at all. Maybe we have more in common than we think? Maybe God's grace is the very thing that ties all of us together.
Maybe God is less worried about our politics, and more focused on how His children are behaving toward each other. Maybe His focus isn't on if we are Republican or Democrat. Maybe his focus is on how well we are growing in love...
And maybe, just maybe, we could be a generation who stands up to bullying and name-calling and hate speak toward people with whom we may disagree.
What if we learned how to debate without hate? What if we could have conversations without cursing people?
Maybe we could set a new standard, a truly godly standard, and show the next generation what Jesus really looks like.
I do know that politics bring out the worst in people. I know that politics feed the "US vs. THEM" mentality that I believe Jesus came to abolish.
I don't know the candidates. I have never met them. I only know what the media says about them. I do know that they are both created in God's image, just like me. I think they probably both believe they are right in their beliefs for our country. I know that they are parents, husband, wife, flesh and blood people who hurt and laugh and cry. Flawed people, who need God's love as much as I do.
I know that Jesus said we are all His brothers and sisters.
I know that God said we are all His children. I know that I hurt when my children are fighting.
And I know that it affects our children when they see we adults fighting and calling people names, and doing the very things that we instruct them not to do.
I know that God didn't say He would legislate His Kingdom on earth. He did say that He would pour out His Spirit on us, and we would demonstrate His Kingdom through our lives; in the way we act and behave... Loving our neighbors and laying down our lives for love and friendship, and walking in the grace we have received from Him. Forgiving. Extending mercy.
It doesn't seem like we are winning our battles with the weapons He instructed us to use...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control.
(Not hateful political posts and prideful arguments.)
He said he would pour out his spirit on ALL flesh...not just Americans.
I hear the cry, "Bring America back to our foundation! God loves America! We founded America on Godly principles!"
Tell that to the native people we uprooted out of their land, and slaughtered in the name of our God.
But now we hate and fear Muslims...because they are radical extremists who kill and uproot in the name of Allah, their God...
It makes me think maybe America wasn't founded on the godliness of man or godly principals.
Maybe instead, it was founded on the great grace of God.
Maybe we can't take any credit or hold ourselves up as better than the other nations.
Maybe we can only marvel at a God who would allow us to be blessed and to prosper in spite of our horrible acts and deeds.
And maybe we can emulate God by extending this same grace and love to other confused religious people who also have gross misconceptions of God, and who are committing the same sort of violence toward us...that we committed toward the native people, and African people we kidnapped against their will and brought to..."America, the beautiful".
Maybe it isn't "us vs them" at all. Maybe we have more in common than we think? Maybe God's grace is the very thing that ties all of us together.
Maybe God is less worried about our politics, and more focused on how His children are behaving toward each other. Maybe His focus isn't on if we are Republican or Democrat. Maybe his focus is on how well we are growing in love...
And maybe, just maybe, we could be a generation who stands up to bullying and name-calling and hate speak toward people with whom we may disagree.
What if we learned how to debate without hate? What if we could have conversations without cursing people?
Maybe we could set a new standard, a truly godly standard, and show the next generation what Jesus really looks like.
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