Can There Be Victory When You Retreat?

If you’re like me and you love Jesus you spend a lot of time wondering what the purpose is for a particular season.  We don’t want to miss Him or mess up how we’re supposed to respond. 

This has been a season of big life changes – empty nest, relocating to a new city, looking for a new church, a new job, and new friends- expecting God to use this as a clean slate in so many ways!

At a job interview about a month ago I felt very connected to the owner and manager. They informed me that there were some issues with staff that made the work environment less than desirable, but they were aware of it and working on it.  I saw this as a “God thing” in that He was wanting me to work on being able to let people who are difficult not get to me - learn how to have perseverance through a bad situation and still have inner peace.  I’ve pushed through such situations before, but I always seem to internalize it and it negatively affects me physically not to mention mentally.  I would always let it bother me.

“Here we go, Jesus! I see what you’re after!  I guess I better finally get this one right so you don’t have to keep taking me to task on it.”

I didn’t make it 3 weeks.  

The environment was toxic to me.  My stomach was in knots.  My hands would shake.  I’d blame it on caffeine withdrawal so they wouldn’t know they were getting to me – but they were.  I felt like I was walking on eggshells.  It was awful.  I prayed for those who were meanest as well as the ones who weren’t, but if my prayers could be likened to loaves and fish, I brought stale crumbs and canned sardines to the Throne. 

Early this past Monday morning I recommitted to staying the course.  I prayed up, sucked it up and dragged myself to work.  The events of the morning huddle drained whatever hope I had been able to muster just moments ago.  I left the room working so hard to focus on what I thought God was trying to teach me - perseverance.

Then it happened.

 I knocked on the boss’s door where he and the manager were meeting to ask them a completely unrelated question and the words, “This isn’t going to work out long term,” came out before I even knew what I was saying. 

I felt like a total failure.  I knew what God wanted from me and I couldn’t do it.

That night we went to a small group meeting and a question was posed to us:  God uses trouble to teach us to trust.  What problem in your life has brought about the greatest growth in your character?

Ugh.

I had no answer because I am painfully aware that I had no “growth in my character.”  I bailed out of the test, failed at trust, and victory eluded me yet again.

Wednesday evening I gave my official two weeks’ notice.  The manager graciously thanked me for all I had help her accomplish in my short time and let me off the hook – I didn’t have to go back Thursday morning.

Thursday morning rolls around and I decided to go for a run at a local park, plug some praise music in my ears and tell God how sorry I am for failing Him again.  I know He loves me.  I just wanted to be able to give Him something good.

Total. Failure.

As the words from Oceans played in my head, my heart so heavy, I thanked my sweet LORD that even though He knew I was going to fail- again- He has been so good to me to have special events for me on the calendar to be able to do what he knows I love best- sing praises to Him with my old church choir family.  Throughout this new season he gave me multiple special times and one is coming up on April 26^th.   I marveled at how He loves me so much to let me have something wonderful to look forward to in just a few more days.  How intimately he loves me and how I know he has done the exact same thing for 100’s of others who will be there with me.  What an amazing love that makes each one of us feel like he loves us most of all – AND HE DOES!

“You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown, where feet may fail…”

“And I will call upon your name (JESUS), and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace for I am yours and you are mine.”

Then in my mind’s eye I saw a saying I heard not that long ago written in white letters, “Revenge is a poison we drink expecting the other person to die.”

And in that mysterious place that I can’t describe His Spirit spoke to mine.

Do you want revenge?  Are you angry at them?  Do you want me to avenge them on your behalf?

“Oh, no.  I don’t want revenge.  I don’t want to drink that poison.  I’m really o.k.  I’m just sorry I failed you.” And it was all true.  My soul felt calm and free.  Calm and free…

That’s our victory.  That’s our victory.  That’s our victory!

Tears poured from my eyes,  my breath literally taken away, and my heart jumped for joy as I was brought to the ground as the revelation rose out of me up to Him in praise -

“OH, YOU AREN’T DONE WITH ME! YOU DIDN’T GIVE UP ON ME!”

 

Oh, the sweet, overwhelming joy when we discover the truth that GOD. IS. NOT. DONE. WITH. US!

I thought we were working on one thing, and I failed.  We were working on another and we won!

And it happened so fast! It only took 3 weeks!  Well, 47 years, 1 month and 3 weeks!

Instead of drinking the poison of resentment, I am drinking up the sweet wine from grapes He’s been tending to for over 47 years!  What sweet wine it is! Better than any I have ever tasted!

“Holy Spirit you are welcome here!  Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere!  YOUR GLORY GOD IS WHAT MY HEART LONGS FOR! To be OVERCOME with Your presence, LORD… “

He IS working on you.  He is NOT done with you.  He WILL accomplish what HE has set out to do.  It will be HIS glory we are overwhelmed by. 

I am overwhelmed. My Faith did stand. I am His and He is mine.

 Thank you, thank you, thank you, LORD.

Where Do We Go From Here? Reflections After The Funeral

Today, Officer Rafael Ramos, slain with his partner Officer Wenjian Liu on December 20th, was laid to rest by his family.  Thousands of police officers from around the country attended.  A nation is mourning.

And hopefully, reflecting.

In the short time that passed between the incidents in Ferguson and NYC, there were different responses from all sorts of people.  Most of them were rash, hurtful, divisive, and came with consequences that, tragically but predictably, will not end with the death of Officers Ramos and Liu.

Scripture tells us that we should expect a lost world to act lost, so I will not talk about the responses of the lost.  What I want to do is ask you to consider some things that may offset what I see as well-meaning but dangerously erroneous responses from Christian leadership.

Almost immediately, Christian pastors, leaders, and para-church organizations were tweeting and posting comments and organizing  conferences to show that they wanted to mourn with those who mourn-appropriate and appreciated efforts to reach out in love.

However, a vast majority of what was said  were comments about “white America” and “black America"- not about sin and holiness. Good and bad.  Right and wrong. 

Any blanket statement about white or black America is itself a racist statement. 

Don’t misunderstand, I am not saying the person who says it is necessarily racist. But the statement most certainly is.  As well-meaning as it may be intended,  such ideologies and comments will do three counter-productive things:

1.     Those who seek to treat all people like they are image bearers of God and have been for years will feel defensive and defeated. They will be thrown into a category simply because of the color of their skin.

2.     It will throw fuel on a fire that may have been started by a few, but will consume an entire nation and her people.

3.  The walls that these ideologies build will not easily be torn down.

Some pastors have taken the opposite approach and have decided to ignore the issue altogether-not even offering up prayers for the slain police officers and their families or prayers for the cities that have been most affected.  They will stay on track with their sermon series regardless if the nation is burning down around them. 

Neither choosing sides nor staying silent is the answer. 

First, I would like to flush out some cultural poison from our vocabulary.  We have no need to classify crimes as “hate” or "racist". Have you ever heard of a crime that was done out of love?  All crimes show that we have failed to uphold at least one if not both of the most important commands: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.  Murder, abuse of power, theft, destruction of property, and assault are all crimes regardless of motivation.

It is a horrible mistake and grossly arrogant to claim to know someone’s motivation for committing an act against another- especially without a trial where both sides are given a chance to speak-let alone in the court of public opinion.

In God’s name, stop it.  

So, what are we to do?

Stop looking to the P.C. police for answers. They do not have them.

Look to Scripture and the history that has proven Scripture’s wisdom.  Here are 3 suggestions:    

1.     Follow Scripture’s overarching message of personal responsibility, holiness, and forgiveness.

The bible does not teach us to look behind to blame, hold grudges, seek revenge or compensation from our enemies for wrong done to us. What Scripture does teach is personal responsibility for how we react to injustice and what kind of response God esteems.  Look to Joseph, Daniel and our Lord for living examples.

2.     Learn what it means to be made in the image of God.  Do not preach race in a context that is not supported in Scripture. 

Take time to find out what it really looks like to believe that all men are created in the image of God - Image bearers of the Creator of the Universe! 

William Wilberforce and Hannah More, abolitionists in late 18th-early 19th century England, took up the noble fight because they understood through Scripture that ALL men are created in the image of God. They won the battle because they influenced people to see themselves united with slaves as brothers and sisters - not by dividing them into "black" and "white."  We would be wise to follow their example.

Teach what it means that ALL of us, in our beautiful, varied colors and traditions, share in the stewardship of the earth and each other, that each of us has innate value and dignity given by God.   Doing so will equip us to really grab hold of what Imago Dei means.  Being doers of this Word, we will see a jaw-dropping decrease in ALL sins against man and God.  Stealing, lying, cheating, physical abuse, drug and substance abuse, abortion, euthanasia, racism, pornography use, sex trafficking, fornication, divorce, poverty, all of it will decrease when we understand how precious each person truly is.   

(A deeper understanding will lead us to re-discover that the treatment for a fallen society is faith, family, community and work.  But that is for another blog.)

3.      Understand there is an enemy crouching at our door. Dividing us is how he will conquer us.

"United we stand, divided we fall" is not some slogan created to by a savvy publicist.  They were the words spoken first by Patrick Henry in his last public speech in March of 1799, two months before he died. 

“Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us righthereafter.  United we stand, divided wefall.  Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.”

What was true for the country then, is true now.   Splitting us into white and black factions will destroy us.  As the church, we need to step up to our stewardship responsibilities of caring for our nation

Peter describes the two classifications of humanity: Those who are believers, those who are not.  Those should be our only classifications.  Not for the purpose of dividing, but for the purpose of living the Christian life out. (See 1 Peter 2:6-7)

Here’s an overly simplified explanation for a truth as old as time, but one we may have forgotten: 

One very effective way conquerors would gain/maintain their power over a nation they wanted to rule was by “thinning the warm blood of patriotism."

Divide people by race, ethnicity, religion…anything and everything possible.  They will feel isolated, fearful, defensive, and weak.  Then they’ll need a protector. That’s when totalitarianism/ dictatorships move in for the kill.

It happened each time Israel was conquered, it happened in Rwanda, and Germany.  There may be more examples-I don’t know.  But each of these is enough for me to see a pattern and become terrified that we are on the same path.

The blood of Christ is the greatest unifying agent in the history of all creation. The Church is responsible to steward the message of redemption for all men- there is neither Greek nor Jew nor free man nor slave, but all are equal at the foot of the cross.  We must vigilantly guard this truth and prevent Christ's church from being co-opted by those who seek to undermine all we hold dear. 

The best we can do as the church is encourage each other to lead lives that reflect God's view of humanity and righteousness.  There will never be enough government programs or police officers to maintain peace and order- it is the Church's responsibility to show us God's way for us to learn to regulate and discipline ourselves if we are to maintain our faith, freedoms and our very lives.

Could this be, at least in part, why God holds each and every one of us accountable as individuals for how we live instead of allowing us to place blame for our actions on others or governments?

There is more that could be said, but this is what I see as a firm foundation for a start to real healing.

Before you go, let me share something about John Newton, the writer of the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace," that you may not know. 

You may know that John Newton was once a slave.  Having been in involuntary service in the navy, then given to a slave trader, he became a slave of an African princess who abused him.

Did you also know that he became a captain of a slave ship AFTER his salvation? 

It was only after he was outside of the slave trade that he could truly see it for the evil it was. ¹        

                                      

Once John Newton gained his “sight”, he was instrumental in the abolition of slavery in England. 

Through his writings, sermons, and steadfast friendship, he aided William Wilberforce, Hannah Moore, and others to end the slave trade and begin to restore a whole country to God-fearing, God-honoring morals.

It took decades.

It took whole lives devoted to the Better way.

Read their stories.  

Salvation may come in a moment, but growing into that New Creation takes time.  Lots of time.  We will never get rid of all sin.  Christ is the only One who is able to do that, and He will upon his return.  

Until then, be inspired to change and action, that the truths in Holy Scripture, when believed and practiced by a submissive, holy remnant, can change hearts and minds and whole civilizations.

We have buried too many good men - all of whom were made in the image of God.  May we honor their memory and our Lord by being obedient to His Word and example.

************

The following books have greatly deepened my understanding of God and what it means to love your neighbor.  I hope you will read them, too. 

The Image of God, by Glenn Sunshine

Fierce Convictions - The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist, by Karen Swallow Prior 

Amazing Grace - William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, by Eric Metaxas 

______________

1 Prior, K. S. (2014). Fierce convictions: The Extraordinary Life of HANNAH MORE: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (pp. 105-106). Nashville: Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson.

United We Stand Divided We Fall; The Role of The Church To Prevent Genocide*

*This was originally posted in September 2014. In light of recent events that have caused some to respond with violence, hate, and fear, I thought it appropriate to re-post. 

Remember the Holocaust in Germany and the 1994 genocide in Rwanda?  I have noticed a few similarities:
1. Their political and government leaders built up resentment between people groups.
2. The Church, as a whole, was silent at best – complicit at worst.
3. Millions of people died.
4. The world looks back and wonders, “How could this have happened?”

We are seeing the stage being set for the same thing to take place in America. 

Racism* is blamed for every ill and has led to the division of our citizens into hyphenated Americans.  Socio-economic differences make you either an “oppressor” or a “victim”.  The things that used to bring us together, like Faith and patriotism, are continually being spat upon and pushed out of the public sphere.  With so many divisions, is it really any wonder that we are in such a state of chaos?  Pride and resentment have always been and will continue to be stumbling blocks.  However, if we claim the title “Christian”, we ought to be slow to allow such labels to be placed on ourselves and others. Before putting on labels, it is crucial that we look at life circumstances through the microscope of Scripture.

The expectation we have of what is or is not fair is huge.  Bigger still, how do we view our role in addressing fairness.  Is the word “fair” used, as we use it, even in God’s vocabulary?

The Parable of the Loaned money in Matthew 25: 14-30 has much to say to us about how we are to look at the circumstances and material possessions of others, as well as our own.  

      14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15“To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18“But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

      19“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      22“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      24“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

      26“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.27‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

      29“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an 
abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. " (BibleHub, NASB) 

God gives some people more, some less.  Only He knows the real reason why, and that is as it should be.  Ours is not to compare ourselves to those with more or less. 

Ours is to be trustworthy with what we have been given.

It is noteworthy that the slave whom the Master gave one talent to, he also calls “wicked and lazy”. The implication is that He wants us to be industrious, productive. Doing so may keep us from wickedness.  The Master then passes by Slave #2, who was only given 2 talents, and gives the lazy slave's talent to Slave #1. 

The Master did not even out the gifts between the two faithful slaves. 

Given the counsel coming from some religious leaders now-a-days, it is interesting to note what He does not say to the slave with one talent.  He does not say, “How could you possibly do anything worthy.  I only gave you one talent.  Poor thing, you should take talents from the other two servants since they have more.  You are a victim of your circumstances.  How could I possibly expect you to over come your lack of talent and invest well?” 

I find it interesting that Slave #2 is not recorded as being pouty when he is passed by as the Master gives the lazy slave’s talent to the one who now has ten!  Perhaps that is because he is already too busy working at his newest job - growing those four talents!

As a Christian, are you prepared to say God was unkind, unjust, and unfair in his handing out of the talents?

Me, neither.

Let me say this in as neutral a way as I know how.  There was an event that took place about a month ago that ended with a young black man dead, a hospitalized white police officer who will forever be labeled a racist, a city flooded with violence, and a nation in upheaval.  As I am writing this, a video has come out of a different city showing a hundred or so black youth attacking white people in a shopping mall parking lot and grocery store.  I am not going to attempt to be judge and jury here.  I hope you are wise enough not to as well.  There is not one ethnicity which holds the patent on being racist or violent.  I paraphrase Jim Liske, President of Prison Fellowship, who has rightly said, the problem is when we see others “not as a co-creation of God, bearers of God’s image… as our brothers, [we] see them as obstacles”.   The point is, violence is becoming more random and prevalent.

Here is what really concerns me looking back on to the events in Ferguson; Our President and Department of Justice immediately stepped in to make divisive claims of racism before there was even a trial.  There were a number of prominent religious leaders (of all colors) that did the same. 

That is not justice. 

It is, however, the M.O. of governments where divisions have led to the senseless murder of millions.  

Here is what I hope you will do. 

Consider that as the Church, we have an opportunity to make better choices than the German or Rwandan Churches** did.  Instead of stoking the fires of pride, resentment, and division, we can point people to where God points us. 

Invest well what YOU have been given.

Consider that our equality comes in our being created in the image of God and value as human beings, while our circumstances may be very different.  Consider that God calls us to compassion, not competition.  Consider how we may be able to join with those who have started with less, to come along side them to help them grow what they have in a God-honoring way.  Consider that there is great dignity and empowerment in personal responsibility, including how we respond to evil, be it real or perceived. 

The victim mentality in our culture has no place being in a Christian’s DNA. 

According to Scripture, we are more than conquerors!  Each will be held accountable for our actions.  Regardless of the events in our lives, color of our skin, zip code, or I.Q., we will not get a “Free to Squander Talent” card.  To live life as if we will is frightfully dangerous.  We have seen this in recent history.

I believe the fulcrum of change rests on Christ’s Church. 

We do not have to end up with millions dead before we wake up.  Let us be wise to learn from Germany and Rwanda. Do not buy into the “us vs. them” mentality.  Do not buy into resentment and pride.  Our relief and healing comes when we exchange our mourning for gladness, not resentment, fear, or retaliation. We ARE the light. We are responsible for shining in this darkness.

Embrace what we share in common. 

Focusing on what makes us the same will lead to healing.  We are from the same Father, each of us created in His likeness.  We want to retain our freedom to worship and share ideas in the public square without threat or fear of violence or retribution. We want to have whole families being raised up in loving homes.  Start here.

Start where you are.

Use what you have.

Do what you can.

The Master will return.  May He be able to say of each of us, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. 

James 4:1-10 

________

Please take a moment to visit the links below.  Their stories of having been given little, but making the most of what they did have, inspire me. 

Read about Gideon, David, and Ruth.  

More recent examples are: 

Dalton McBeath,

Nick Vujicic

Dr. Ben Carson

A brave and beautiful example of what can be done to bring peace between enemies:  Pierre Dulaine and Miri Shahaf-Levi

*Racism, like domestic violence, rape, jealousy, theft, murder, human sex trafficking, abortion, and child abuse are symptoms that we slap band-aids on instead of dealing with the real issue; We see each other as obstacles to what we want instead of co-creations of God.  Racism will always be with us. I wish that were not true, but it is.  However, I believe Americans have a much better understanding of  how we should view and treat others, based on our shared Judeo-Christian worldview, whether we are confessing Christians, or not.  At this writing, we are witnessing whole people groups being slaughtered because of their race or religion in the Iraq, Egypt, and Africa. I pray we don't follow in their footsteps.

**I highly recommend viewing "As We Forgive".