Right now I am at the beginning of a Sabbatical that my staff and my church has graciously given me. It was not my idea. However, I believe it is God’s will for me and for our church so I am trying to cooperate : ). On the other hand, in light of the events of yesterday and the rhetoric of today, I feel compelled to speak up, if not for the encouragement of all my friends and family members on facebook, at least for those I fellowship with and lead at Gateway Church in Kennewick.
Of course, my fear is that because of algorithms, many will never even see this blog post. Social Media, in the effort to keep us engaged, has totally polarized us, its “users” (by the way, the same term used for addicts) so that we only see one side of the argument…the side we already agree with. As a result, each one of us being painted into a corner that is increasing bigotry in our country at an alarming rate. Not too long ago, I wrote another blog about bigotry (click here) which is an “intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.” As I wrote in that blog, “it’s not what you believe or who you support that makes you a bigot. It’s your intolerance to the opposing view that does.”
Which brings me to why I am breaking my Sabbath today, not to persuade you into changing your position necessarily, but to bring some sanity to the insanity. So please set any bigotry you might have aside for a moment (and believe me, no one is immune to this) and break free from “the powers that be” that want to put every one of us into a box. Not all of any group is exactly the same (whether that be republican or democrat, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, etc.). Every single person is complicated and should never be buttonholed into a single category. We all have different stories and different reasons for why we think the way we do and do what we do.
For example, there are many reasons why someone would vote for Trump or Biden. Some voted for Trump because they liked his policies or for what he has accomplished, or because he was not a political insider, or because he can’t be controlled by the media, lobbyists (or anyone for the matter), because he wasn’t afraid to upset the apple cart, or because he is not Joe Biden, etc. In other words, there are some (if not many) who voted for Trump who do not like Trump. On the other hand, some voted for Biden because they like his policies, or that he picked an African-American woman as his running mate, or because he is an experienced politician, or because he is not uncontrollable (like Trump), or because he will not upset the apple cart, or because he is not Donald Trump period, etc. In other words, there are some (if not many) who voted for Biden who do not like Biden.
Tuesday night I was praying for our nation and as I prayed, “Lord, Your will be done,” the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and reminded me of a sermon my son, Chase, spoke about Joseph called “The Good Life” (listen here and select “May 27, 2018”). As Chase related in that message, a lot of things happened to Joseph that looked and felt awful to him at the time and that were tremendously unjust. However, God used those evil things (not that He caused them, although He did allow them to happen) to “to save…lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7). In other words, God spoke to my heart that although things might look bad (to many) right now, He is in control working behind the scenes His purposes for His kingdom’s sake (which should never be confused with America or any nation). In other words, God was telling me, “This is good,” (in the sense that God is going to use it for good). And as He spoke this to my heart, I smiled and my heart was filled with peace.
That was Tuesday night before we knew the results of the Senate runoffs in Georgia or before any of us had a clue about what would unfold at the Capitol. Which, by the way, I condemn. Furthermore, I am not, in any way, insinuating that God caused that lawlessness or even wanted it to happen (though He, obviously, did allow it to happen). As I shared recently at Gateway in one of our services, lawlessness is not only wrong (whether it’s the riots that we witnessed this past summer, or what we witnessed yesterday) it is anti Christ (READ 2 Thessalonians 2). As my friend, Mark Moder stated so eloquently yesterday on fb, “Jesus could have led an insurrection…He chose not to.”
Wednesday morning, before the assault on the Capitol, I was again praying for our nation and again praying, “Lord, Your will be done,” and again God spoke to my heart saying that He was ‘about to wake up many that they should never put their hope in anyone other than Jesus.’ In fact, to do so is idolatry. So true! By the way, that doesn’t just include putting our hope in someone whose name starts with T but also B, H, etc. Again, to do so is idolatry.
Despite all that has happened in the last couple of days, or the last year, I am greatly encouraged by what God shared with me and I hope you will be too, and that is why I am taking the time to share it. So be encouraged, after all Jesus said this: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Seek first the kingdom!
Mel