Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Friday, November 9, 2012
Regarding the election
Mr. Barack Obama will have four more years of
the privilege of being President of the United States. Whether you are
disappointed or elated (or somewhere in between), be thankful that in
this democratic republic, we have the opportunity to choose our
representatives and leaders; many in the world do not have that
privilege. Refrain from castigating or insulting those who hold beliefs
different than your own; they are
neither ignorant, nor stupid, nor fools, and though you may question
their judgement, they have reasons for believing and voting as they do,
just like you. If you are a Christian, fulfill your responsibility to
pray for the leadership of your state and your country; pray for wise,
Godly counsel to surround the President and for the Lord to turn his
heart towards Himself. Remember that the Lord is sovereign. Finally,
whatever your religious or political beliefs, there are hungry who need
feeding, naked who need clothing, hurting who need healing, and homeless
who need housing. Reach out to those in need, and show kindness to
your fellow being. Always.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
KONY 2012
Joseph Kony. A man whose name has long been distasteful to me. A man whose actions have destroyed and re-routed thousands of lives. A man whose time has come.
Or has it?
Invisible Children released a video a few days ago called KONY 2012. I finally had a chance to watch it tonight and my feelings are as mixed as they were before I watched it. If you haven't seen it, it is on Youtube and Vimeo. The gist of it is that Invisible Children feels that after two decades of wreaking havoc across Africa, Joseph Kony's time has come. They advocate the use of U.S. military technology and advice to the Ugandan army in order to capture Kony and bring him to justice. I have some concerns about this. One is that Kony's army is built by the capture, arming, and brainwashing of children. Some of them have grown up in the army, and life under Joseph Kony is all they know. If these children have been brainwashed and are victims of Stockholm Syndrome, who's to say they will let him go easily? Who's to say they will allow him to be captured? If they have come to love him and look at him as their father, their leader, their priest (in its early days, at least, the Lord Resistance Army's original leader Alice said she was receiving guidance from the Lord/Holy Spirit), then what makes anyone think that they aren't willing to die to save him? How many will give up their lives and fight to the death to prevent his capture?
I also have questions about the use of the army. If the Ugandan army is like many African armies, they are not much better than the LRA! Many armies perform the same looting, raping, pillaging, and (in some cases) the capture of children for use as soldiers during war time (I am specifically thinking of the army in Sierra Leone during its civil war for this example) for which we heap condemnation upon the LRA! Is the use of one corrupt and violent army to stop another corrupt and violent army really the best way to go about things? Is this really our only option? Or is this one of those "necessary evils," (a concept which I fully grasp and just as fully detest), one of those vile paradoxes foisted upon us by nature of living in a broken and sinful world?
I do question some of the statements made in the video, such as the claim that "Ninety-nine percent of the world has never heard of" Joseph Kony. Really? I'm betting the number of people just in Africa who've heard of him is greater than one percent of the world's population (for the record, I despise sensationalistic journalism no matter what it's for or against, so I'm not picking on them exclusively; anyone who makes an unsubstantiated, outrageous claim like this will get it from me. I should also note that I greatly appreciate Invisible Children's efforts to raise awareness and bring attention and notoriety to Joseph Kony, the LRA, and their actions). The thing is, the reason governments haven't been involved before now is because it has not been a "big" or "important" enough issue for them to allocate finite resources to deal with it. The world ignored Rwanda when it cried for help in 1994; an estimated 800,000 people paid with their lives in the span of a couple of months. Joseph Kony has been destroying lives for a quarter-century, and in that time, according to the video, 30,000 children have been affected.
Nearly that many children, under the age of five, die each day from preventable, poverty-related causes. Twenty-three thousand is the estimate (I'd have to check, but I believe that statistic is attributed to UNICEF). Each. Day.
Do I think Joseph Kony needs to be brought to justice? YES. Absolutely, unequivocally, unreservedly YES. Anyone who's heard me speak on this issue knows my passionate desire to see him brought to justice. But he is a madman, and he has had a long time to cultivate and perfect his methods and tactics, and finding him, let alone bringing him to justice, will not be easy. And I submit to you that without God, it will be impossible.
To the Christians, I ask this: did you pray before you reposted that video? Did you pray when or after you watched it? Did you stop to think critically about it (actually that question is for all people), to consider whether violent means are the best way to bring a violent man down? I understand that sometimes violence is the only way, in this fallen world. I am, after all, a product of a military state and a staunch supporter of our service members. But to bring this man to justice could result in the needless deaths of many more people, many of them children or captured as children and raised in the army (an upbringing absolutely no child should ever experience).
Furthermore, (and this was a point raised by a friend of mine) what will we do with the soldiers in his liberated army? I'm sure some, perhaps many, will need to be brought to justice for their own part in the crimes committed by the army, for the role they played in disrupting and destroying the lives of others. But what of the children? Repatriating a child soldier is not a simple process. They have been taught to hate, to kill, to consider human life expendable. Read "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier in the Sierra Leone civil war, to see what I mean about repatriation. To bring these children to a point where they are able to reintegrate into society will take resources: counselors and healthcare workers and other aid workers with immense patience and a willingness to work a potentially dangerous job, intense training and discipline and re-programming (which sounds like a dirty word except it will be necessary to undo, as much as possible, the programming they received in the LRA). Eventually there would be a need for schools and teachers to teach them. Many of these children may have no family to return to, and if they do, it's possible their families will reject them for their actions (especially if they killed other family members) and in all of these cases, the children will need families of some sort--perhaps homes with an "auntie" or orphanages or some such thing. I don't know. I have no experience and too little knowledge in these matters to be able to say with any certainty what the best course of action will be.
Perhaps using violence to bring about the end of a violent, cruel, and wicked man really is the only way it will happen. Perhaps there is no other recourse. Perhaps. But this man has been here for a quarter century and all previous efforts to stop him have failed and resulted in violent retaliation on more innocent people and what will we do if our efforts again fail? What if the failure of these attempts results in the worst retaliation yet, because the "mighty" United States dared to get involved in an "African affair?"
If combining the advice and technology of the U.S. military with the might of the Ugandan army is our best course of action and is, in fact, the best way to bring about the fall of Joseph Kony, I still believe that there is a high risk of failure unless these efforts are covered in prayer. If we have not yet succeeded in this endeavor, a few new pieces of equipment are not likely to change that. But God can.
I see this as more than just a physical war; I believe it is, at its very heart, a spiritual one. Look at the roots of the LRA! A woman named Alice, claiming visions or mandates or what-have-you from the Lord, telling her soldiers that smearing oil on their chests will make them invincible to bullets! Either the woman was crazy, or she was in fact seeing visions--but not from God. Perhaps she was both crazy AND seeing visions from whatever spiritual power was speaking to her. And if this army has been fueled for nearly three decades (perhaps longer; I'm not sure) by demonic forces, no amount of human-fueled effort will ever prevail!
So I challenge this: if you want to see Joseph Kony brought to justice and the Lord's Resistance Army brought to its timely end, if you are a Christian and believe God has the power to move mightily in the supernatural to bring about change in the natural, then you need to pray! Reposting videos, wearing trendy bracelets (and we're Americans; we love our trends!), and plastering your city with posters and buttons and lawn signs will do no good if you don't pray! Pray for justice; pray for liberty for the captives; pray for the peace of Africa! If we could get a worldwide movement of Christians praying for this--really, truly praying intercessory prayers and crying out to God for justice to be done--then I have no doubt that we WILL see Joseph Kony fall. We WILL see justice delivered. We WILL see peace in Africa. We will see children again have the chance to be children; we will see people no longer having to fear for their lives and those of their loved ones; we will see change come to beautiful Africa.
Please, for the love of all Africa's children, please, please pray. I exhort you, brethren, to pray!
Or has it?
Invisible Children released a video a few days ago called KONY 2012. I finally had a chance to watch it tonight and my feelings are as mixed as they were before I watched it. If you haven't seen it, it is on Youtube and Vimeo. The gist of it is that Invisible Children feels that after two decades of wreaking havoc across Africa, Joseph Kony's time has come. They advocate the use of U.S. military technology and advice to the Ugandan army in order to capture Kony and bring him to justice. I have some concerns about this. One is that Kony's army is built by the capture, arming, and brainwashing of children. Some of them have grown up in the army, and life under Joseph Kony is all they know. If these children have been brainwashed and are victims of Stockholm Syndrome, who's to say they will let him go easily? Who's to say they will allow him to be captured? If they have come to love him and look at him as their father, their leader, their priest (in its early days, at least, the Lord Resistance Army's original leader Alice said she was receiving guidance from the Lord/Holy Spirit), then what makes anyone think that they aren't willing to die to save him? How many will give up their lives and fight to the death to prevent his capture?
I also have questions about the use of the army. If the Ugandan army is like many African armies, they are not much better than the LRA! Many armies perform the same looting, raping, pillaging, and (in some cases) the capture of children for use as soldiers during war time (I am specifically thinking of the army in Sierra Leone during its civil war for this example) for which we heap condemnation upon the LRA! Is the use of one corrupt and violent army to stop another corrupt and violent army really the best way to go about things? Is this really our only option? Or is this one of those "necessary evils," (a concept which I fully grasp and just as fully detest), one of those vile paradoxes foisted upon us by nature of living in a broken and sinful world?
I do question some of the statements made in the video, such as the claim that "Ninety-nine percent of the world has never heard of" Joseph Kony. Really? I'm betting the number of people just in Africa who've heard of him is greater than one percent of the world's population (for the record, I despise sensationalistic journalism no matter what it's for or against, so I'm not picking on them exclusively; anyone who makes an unsubstantiated, outrageous claim like this will get it from me. I should also note that I greatly appreciate Invisible Children's efforts to raise awareness and bring attention and notoriety to Joseph Kony, the LRA, and their actions). The thing is, the reason governments haven't been involved before now is because it has not been a "big" or "important" enough issue for them to allocate finite resources to deal with it. The world ignored Rwanda when it cried for help in 1994; an estimated 800,000 people paid with their lives in the span of a couple of months. Joseph Kony has been destroying lives for a quarter-century, and in that time, according to the video, 30,000 children have been affected.
Nearly that many children, under the age of five, die each day from preventable, poverty-related causes. Twenty-three thousand is the estimate (I'd have to check, but I believe that statistic is attributed to UNICEF). Each. Day.
Do I think Joseph Kony needs to be brought to justice? YES. Absolutely, unequivocally, unreservedly YES. Anyone who's heard me speak on this issue knows my passionate desire to see him brought to justice. But he is a madman, and he has had a long time to cultivate and perfect his methods and tactics, and finding him, let alone bringing him to justice, will not be easy. And I submit to you that without God, it will be impossible.
To the Christians, I ask this: did you pray before you reposted that video? Did you pray when or after you watched it? Did you stop to think critically about it (actually that question is for all people), to consider whether violent means are the best way to bring a violent man down? I understand that sometimes violence is the only way, in this fallen world. I am, after all, a product of a military state and a staunch supporter of our service members. But to bring this man to justice could result in the needless deaths of many more people, many of them children or captured as children and raised in the army (an upbringing absolutely no child should ever experience).
Furthermore, (and this was a point raised by a friend of mine) what will we do with the soldiers in his liberated army? I'm sure some, perhaps many, will need to be brought to justice for their own part in the crimes committed by the army, for the role they played in disrupting and destroying the lives of others. But what of the children? Repatriating a child soldier is not a simple process. They have been taught to hate, to kill, to consider human life expendable. Read "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier in the Sierra Leone civil war, to see what I mean about repatriation. To bring these children to a point where they are able to reintegrate into society will take resources: counselors and healthcare workers and other aid workers with immense patience and a willingness to work a potentially dangerous job, intense training and discipline and re-programming (which sounds like a dirty word except it will be necessary to undo, as much as possible, the programming they received in the LRA). Eventually there would be a need for schools and teachers to teach them. Many of these children may have no family to return to, and if they do, it's possible their families will reject them for their actions (especially if they killed other family members) and in all of these cases, the children will need families of some sort--perhaps homes with an "auntie" or orphanages or some such thing. I don't know. I have no experience and too little knowledge in these matters to be able to say with any certainty what the best course of action will be.
Perhaps using violence to bring about the end of a violent, cruel, and wicked man really is the only way it will happen. Perhaps there is no other recourse. Perhaps. But this man has been here for a quarter century and all previous efforts to stop him have failed and resulted in violent retaliation on more innocent people and what will we do if our efforts again fail? What if the failure of these attempts results in the worst retaliation yet, because the "mighty" United States dared to get involved in an "African affair?"
If combining the advice and technology of the U.S. military with the might of the Ugandan army is our best course of action and is, in fact, the best way to bring about the fall of Joseph Kony, I still believe that there is a high risk of failure unless these efforts are covered in prayer. If we have not yet succeeded in this endeavor, a few new pieces of equipment are not likely to change that. But God can.
I see this as more than just a physical war; I believe it is, at its very heart, a spiritual one. Look at the roots of the LRA! A woman named Alice, claiming visions or mandates or what-have-you from the Lord, telling her soldiers that smearing oil on their chests will make them invincible to bullets! Either the woman was crazy, or she was in fact seeing visions--but not from God. Perhaps she was both crazy AND seeing visions from whatever spiritual power was speaking to her. And if this army has been fueled for nearly three decades (perhaps longer; I'm not sure) by demonic forces, no amount of human-fueled effort will ever prevail!
So I challenge this: if you want to see Joseph Kony brought to justice and the Lord's Resistance Army brought to its timely end, if you are a Christian and believe God has the power to move mightily in the supernatural to bring about change in the natural, then you need to pray! Reposting videos, wearing trendy bracelets (and we're Americans; we love our trends!), and plastering your city with posters and buttons and lawn signs will do no good if you don't pray! Pray for justice; pray for liberty for the captives; pray for the peace of Africa! If we could get a worldwide movement of Christians praying for this--really, truly praying intercessory prayers and crying out to God for justice to be done--then I have no doubt that we WILL see Joseph Kony fall. We WILL see justice delivered. We WILL see peace in Africa. We will see children again have the chance to be children; we will see people no longer having to fear for their lives and those of their loved ones; we will see change come to beautiful Africa.
Please, for the love of all Africa's children, please, please pray. I exhort you, brethren, to pray!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Going to Panama as a country assistant!
Dear friends and family,
I hope this letter finds you well and full of joy in the Lord. I have been keeping busy with coursework in college, where I am a junior liberal studies major focusing on psychology and biology. Five years ago, in 2004, I had the opportunity to travel to Panama, in Central America, with Global Expeditions, a division of Teen Mania Ministries. In 2006, I again traveled with Global Expeditions, this time to Matamoros, Mexico. The Lord did a great deal in the hearts and lives of the nationals and missionaries alike on these trips, and on both trips I was able to be a missionary advisor, discipling a small group of younger missionaries throughout the trip.
This summer, I have the opportunity to return to Panama with Global Expeditions, this time in the leadership position of country assistant. As a country assistant, I will be working behind the scenes to assist the project directors (the ones running the entire trip) with anything that needs doing, whether it be making photocopies, running errands, or picking up food at a grocery store in-country. I think this trip will provide valuable training for my future missions endeavors, and I hope to have many opportunities to speak into the lives of the missionaries and the nationals alike. The support of country assistants is vital to ensure a trip runs smoothly. In Panama, Global Expeditions will be traveling into the Darien Jungle and to the San Blas Islands to minister to the Kuna Indians. The Kunas are known for their friendly nature and beautiful handicrafts, but many of them are engaged in idol worship and do not know the living God.
I hope to be leaving in early July to spend a week or so volunteering at Teen Mania Ministries’ headquarters in Garden Valley, Texas before my trip begins on July 12th. After a couple of days of training, we will head out to minister for several weeks before returning to Texas for debriefing, and finishing on August 6th. I anticipate that this will be an incredible summer in which many lives will be touched by the hand of our God and irrevocably changed. To accomplish this task, I am asking for your support. The trip will cost approximately $2500 for housing, airfare, food, and travel to Texas. Will you help send me to Panama?
Any support you can give will be greatly appreciated. I will be working hard over the next few weeks to fundraise, but if you are willing and able to help send me to Panama, you can make a donation online or by check. To donate by check, make checks payable to Teen Mania Ministries, and send it along with my name and ID number on a separate slip of paper to: Global Expeditions, P.O. Box 2000, Garden Valley, TX 75771-2000. Please do not put my name directly on the check (for tax deduction purposes). To donate online, log onto www.globalexpeditions.com and click on “Support a Missionary” at the top right corner. Search for me by name or by ID number.
If you have any questions for me, please feel free to contact me at support.bethany@hotmail.com. You can also reach a Global Expeditions Specialist at 866.953.LEAD. Thank you so much for your time, consideration, and prayers. You are greatly appreciated.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
Bethany
Thursday, May 7, 2009
I want a heart...
I found this on one of my xanga sites (yes, I had more than one) and wanted to post it here. I had entirely forgotten I'd written this piece but it reflects so much of my heart even today. Though I'm four years older than when I wrote this, the desire it reflects remains in my heart still, if tempered a bit by time and maturity. This was first written on 30 March, 2005, early in my year at the Honor Academy.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I want a heart that is so pure and broken and open that I can cry unashamedly in front of others, not caring what they think of me crying in front of them
I want to cry at beautiful things
like butterflies
sweet proposals
time in God's presence
How amazing he is
How beautiful
God, help me to maintain a pure and broken heart and to live a blameless life before you
That I may live a life pleasing to you
That others may see you through my life
Make meinvisible so that I may not be seen, but you in me
Take my desires
Make them yours
Help me not to want things that aren't for me
I know your plans are better
So much better than mine
Take control
I am yours.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I want a heart that is so pure and broken and open that I can cry unashamedly in front of others, not caring what they think of me crying in front of them
I want to cry at beautiful things
like butterflies
sweet proposals
time in God's presence
How amazing he is
How beautiful
God, help me to maintain a pure and broken heart and to live a blameless life before you
That I may live a life pleasing to you
That others may see you through my life
Make me
Take my desires
Make them yours
Help me not to want things that aren't for me
I know your plans are better
So much better than mine
Take control
I am yours.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
a penny for my thoughts? [recap]
This was originally posted on 5 December, 2006. It was the end of my first semester of college, nearing the first anniversary of my graduation from the Honor Academy, and less than two weeks till I travelled to Slidell, Louisiana to stay with this one and see this one and this one get married. :) Having had a rather rough year this school year, I have been looking back through my old journals and blogs, and finding...hope. Though much has changed in the intervening time, I find hope for the present, hope for the future, and hope in the knowledge that whatever happens, my Father has my best interests at heart. Much of what is written in this post still reflects what I feel and believe and yes, even hope for, now, nearly two-and-a-half years later.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
So this is long (not that that's unusual...) but...it's some of what I've been contemplating for the last couple of months, especially now that I'm almost a year out of HA...a lot has been going on inside. Read it and be blessed.
some days I want to run away and be a gypsy
never settled in one place, but traveling
place to place to place
meeting people and seeing things few others have seen
just loving people and Jesus
some days I never want to leave
to stay in comfortability and safety
never stepping out on my own because the world
can be just so scary
some days I want to get married tomorrow
and have a whole passel of children
other days I never want to get married
or ever have children
but I know it's in God's hands, because I put it there myself
some days I wonder if things will ever change
if they'll ever be different
I wonder where my life is going
what is going to happen in ten years, twenty or thirty
other days I just don't care at all, because I know
whatever happens, my life belongs to the Lord
sometimes I think about ESOAL
about that weekend that broke me so hard
I remember the pain, the exhaustion
the lies to fight through
I remember
when I was called out to sing "the HA hymn"
just an hour or two before I rang out
"take my life, and let it be,
consecrated Lord, to thee."
I was told later
it sounded like an angel singing,
sweet and beautiful
that blessed my heart,
that this girl remembered that, ten months later, how it stood out to her
I remember the things the Lord taught me that weekend
about controlling my emotions, rather than them controlling me
and how this life
is not about me
I remember quiet times on the picnic table
under that beautiful old oak tree
or sitting by the fountain
the worship that we had
how wonderful it was to worship with people
who loved God as much as I do
how wonderful it was to converse with them
every time you ate in the caf
you could sit with someone you barely knew
and have the most amazing conversation of your life,
so edifying and encouraging
I miss that
I remember the friends who left
for various reasons
how it hurt to see them go, how I cried
and I remember the friends that stayed
and fought through with me
the people that spoke into my life
the way people just loved one another
and respected one another
the way brothers honored their sisters
and sisters respected their brothers
and the beautiful relationships that some of them are in now
so many weddings coming up, or recently had
so many beautiful people
brought together by God
those romances which are written by God
are by far the most beautiful
they are pure and holy and good
a reflection of the relationship God wants with us
that's what I want
that's what I'm waiting for
and I refuse to settle for anything less than extraordinary
in any area of my life
because it belongs to God
He taught me about consecration
it's one of the abiding themes of my life
consecration: to declare or set apart as holy
my favorite psalm is psalm 15
I think it speaks of the kind of life
a Jesus-lover should have
He taught me about love
what it means to love people regardless of their actions
how to see people the way he sees them
He's still teaching me about these
sometimes He gives me a revelation
of His holiness
it's indescribable, but know this, friends:
the Lord is holy
angels cover their faces and dance around his throne
and all they say is
"holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
who was, and is, and is to come"
I don't think the church today really realizes
just how holy He is, or
what this holiness is
or even who He is
God, the Uncreated One
I know what He's shown me is barely scratching the surface
and it blows my mind
every single time
He is holy
and if we are to be like Him,
we, too, must be holy
the Bible has a lot to say about holiness
look it up, there's so much to learn!
my desire to live a holy life, pleasing to God
is behind a lot of the lifestyle decisions I've made
I want every single aspect of my life
to reflect Him and bring glory to His name
every once in a while,
the desire to see nations reached
gets stirred up inside of me
and I get excited to see where He will lead me
next summer and in the future
I anticipate the visiting of many, many nations
from India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China
to Botswana, Zambia, Rwanda and Egypt
to Honduras, Belize, Chili and Peru
to Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Lithuania
anywhere the Lord may lead me
I am willing to go
because my life is not my own
it belongs to Him
so much is going on inside
so many thoughts racing around unbridled
so many hopes and wishes and dreams and desires
all getting stirred up inside
like when you drop ice cream in a glass of root beer and stir it up
it gets all frothy and foamy and sometimes spills over
whatever is going on, it's good
so good, so beautiful
I'm excited
some days I wish God would show me exactly what my life will look like,
but then I realize that it's the journey to get there that's the good part
and besides,
if I knew everything that was going to happen,
there would be no reason to trust the Lord
trust
that's another thing He taught me last year
another thing still to learn
trust, and obedience, and waiting on the Lord
and it's learning that trust, and obedience, and waiting
that makes this relationship with Him sooo good
I fully believe God has my best interests at heart
and that He knows exactly what He's doing
in every relationship with every person I know
and in every aspect of my life
and I trust Him with that
because He sure as heck knows more than I do!
I like not knowing what will happen
because it lets me anticipate what God is going to do
and it raises my expectations
the Lord is good to my soul
and I love him so much
My dear friend Bridget marries her Aaron a week from Saturday
I'll be there to see it
and I'm excited about it
their romance is beautiful, and holy, and good
and it makes me excited for my own someday-romance
they have allowed God to write their love story
and boy, is it good!
I have rarely seen a couple so well-matched
it is truly a "match made in heaven"
I fully believe the Lord made them each
with the other in mind
the Lord is teaching me new things
and doing exciting things in my life
this little heart of mine is full to overflowing
with the love and grace and blessings
of a beloved Savior
He blesses my heart
and He wants to bless your heart too, friends
so let Him
He will grant you peace
and love you so completely
the Lord is faithful
even when I am not
for that, I am grateful
what if He was only as faithful to us
as we are to Him?
I don't know about you, but to me that's a scary thought
I'm so glad He's not
Seek the Lord today, friends. There is so much He wants to show us and share with us. We only have to let Him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
So this is long (not that that's unusual...) but...it's some of what I've been contemplating for the last couple of months, especially now that I'm almost a year out of HA...a lot has been going on inside. Read it and be blessed.
some days I want to run away and be a gypsy
never settled in one place, but traveling
place to place to place
meeting people and seeing things few others have seen
just loving people and Jesus
some days I never want to leave
to stay in comfortability and safety
never stepping out on my own because the world
can be just so scary
some days I want to get married tomorrow
and have a whole passel of children
other days I never want to get married
or ever have children
but I know it's in God's hands, because I put it there myself
some days I wonder if things will ever change
if they'll ever be different
I wonder where my life is going
what is going to happen in ten years, twenty or thirty
other days I just don't care at all, because I know
whatever happens, my life belongs to the Lord
sometimes I think about ESOAL
about that weekend that broke me so hard
I remember the pain, the exhaustion
the lies to fight through
I remember
when I was called out to sing "the HA hymn"
just an hour or two before I rang out
"take my life, and let it be,
consecrated Lord, to thee."
I was told later
it sounded like an angel singing,
sweet and beautiful
that blessed my heart,
that this girl remembered that, ten months later, how it stood out to her
I remember the things the Lord taught me that weekend
about controlling my emotions, rather than them controlling me
and how this life
is not about me
I remember quiet times on the picnic table
under that beautiful old oak tree
or sitting by the fountain
the worship that we had
how wonderful it was to worship with people
who loved God as much as I do
how wonderful it was to converse with them
every time you ate in the caf
you could sit with someone you barely knew
and have the most amazing conversation of your life,
so edifying and encouraging
I miss that
I remember the friends who left
for various reasons
how it hurt to see them go, how I cried
and I remember the friends that stayed
and fought through with me
the people that spoke into my life
the way people just loved one another
and respected one another
the way brothers honored their sisters
and sisters respected their brothers
and the beautiful relationships that some of them are in now
so many weddings coming up, or recently had
so many beautiful people
brought together by God
those romances which are written by God
are by far the most beautiful
they are pure and holy and good
a reflection of the relationship God wants with us
that's what I want
that's what I'm waiting for
and I refuse to settle for anything less than extraordinary
in any area of my life
because it belongs to God
He taught me about consecration
it's one of the abiding themes of my life
consecration: to declare or set apart as holy
my favorite psalm is psalm 15
I think it speaks of the kind of life
a Jesus-lover should have
He taught me about love
what it means to love people regardless of their actions
how to see people the way he sees them
He's still teaching me about these
sometimes He gives me a revelation
of His holiness
it's indescribable, but know this, friends:
the Lord is holy
angels cover their faces and dance around his throne
and all they say is
"holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
who was, and is, and is to come"
I don't think the church today really realizes
just how holy He is, or
what this holiness is
or even who He is
God, the Uncreated One
I know what He's shown me is barely scratching the surface
and it blows my mind
every single time
He is holy
and if we are to be like Him,
we, too, must be holy
the Bible has a lot to say about holiness
look it up, there's so much to learn!
my desire to live a holy life, pleasing to God
is behind a lot of the lifestyle decisions I've made
I want every single aspect of my life
to reflect Him and bring glory to His name
every once in a while,
the desire to see nations reached
gets stirred up inside of me
and I get excited to see where He will lead me
next summer and in the future
I anticipate the visiting of many, many nations
from India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China
to Botswana, Zambia, Rwanda and Egypt
to Honduras, Belize, Chili and Peru
to Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Lithuania
anywhere the Lord may lead me
I am willing to go
because my life is not my own
it belongs to Him
so much is going on inside
so many thoughts racing around unbridled
so many hopes and wishes and dreams and desires
all getting stirred up inside
like when you drop ice cream in a glass of root beer and stir it up
it gets all frothy and foamy and sometimes spills over
whatever is going on, it's good
so good, so beautiful
I'm excited
some days I wish God would show me exactly what my life will look like,
but then I realize that it's the journey to get there that's the good part
and besides,
if I knew everything that was going to happen,
there would be no reason to trust the Lord
trust
that's another thing He taught me last year
another thing still to learn
trust, and obedience, and waiting on the Lord
and it's learning that trust, and obedience, and waiting
that makes this relationship with Him sooo good
I fully believe God has my best interests at heart
and that He knows exactly what He's doing
in every relationship with every person I know
and in every aspect of my life
and I trust Him with that
because He sure as heck knows more than I do!
I like not knowing what will happen
because it lets me anticipate what God is going to do
and it raises my expectations
the Lord is good to my soul
and I love him so much
My dear friend Bridget marries her Aaron a week from Saturday
I'll be there to see it
and I'm excited about it
their romance is beautiful, and holy, and good
and it makes me excited for my own someday-romance
they have allowed God to write their love story
and boy, is it good!
I have rarely seen a couple so well-matched
it is truly a "match made in heaven"
I fully believe the Lord made them each
with the other in mind
the Lord is teaching me new things
and doing exciting things in my life
this little heart of mine is full to overflowing
with the love and grace and blessings
of a beloved Savior
He blesses my heart
and He wants to bless your heart too, friends
so let Him
He will grant you peace
and love you so completely
the Lord is faithful
even when I am not
for that, I am grateful
what if He was only as faithful to us
as we are to Him?
I don't know about you, but to me that's a scary thought
I'm so glad He's not
Seek the Lord today, friends. There is so much He wants to show us and share with us. We only have to let Him.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Hello, Mr. President
We have a new president now. George W. Bush, after 8 years of working what is arguably the toughest job in the nation, and perhaps even the world, has passed the torch to Mr. Barack Obama. As I despise all the commentary surrounding such events, the only coverage I watched (on the Internet rather than the television as I do not have cable) was the beautiful "Air and Small Gifts" composition by a diverse and talented quartet, the swearing-in, and the speech. The speech was very well-crafted, and I hope he can live up to at least some of its promises.
I also hope, that as the "honeymoon" phase ends and the weeks wear into months and we struggle to turn the Titanic of this nation around and head in a better direction, that all those who've placed such hope in him will not be disillusioned. I hope they will remember that he is just a man; like any other, he is subject to shortcomings and human failings, and he will make mistakes-it just comes with the territory of humanity. I do hope that Mr. Obama is able to enact change, that our economy stops its downward slide and starts back in an upward direction, that we are able to bring peace and stability to the Middle East and bring our brave service men & women home, that reforms are made to such ailing giants as healthcare, education, and social service programs. I hope these changes can be made without conceding too much power to the government and without socializing or nationalizing too many programs-especially with healthcare, which is generally even more inefficient and bureaucratic when a government is placed in charge-just take a look at Britain. I hope that we do not have to concede our rights in the name of "progress" and "change."
I hope that people will remember that true change takes time. When civil rights began to be fought for in the early 1950's, most marches and protests were localized, unique events that didn't get much coverage. With the advent of television, the message was able to spread more quickly. But it was not until 1968 that the final anti-discrimination legislation was passed (the Fair Housing Act), and that only after two years sitting in Congress and the death of a certain prominent minister who'd always advocated peaceful change-the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. This was also more than one hundred years after the official demise of slavery. I hope everyone will remember that and not grow impatient with Obama when change does not happen RIGHTNOW as they wish it would. When that happened in the 60's, with the growth of Black Power, the militant Black Panthers and even the numerous urban riots, it damaged the appearance of the civil rights movement-so I hope that those most desirous of change will remember that peaceful activism, though perhaps a bit slower than we'd like, is always most effective in the long run.
I don't know if any of those early civil rights activists, whom I admire for their faith and courage, would ever have thought the day would come that a black man (even half-black) could be president. I know I didn't expect to see it until I was much older, because I felt the United States was still too strongly biased to accept such a man as Commander-in-Chief. For a woman, it's even harder, especially if she has children (yet no-one has said a word about any man's abilities in government if he has children...). But that day has come. A line has been crossed, the bar has been raised, and I hope it inspires more minorities to strive for bigger and better things-because they are fully capable of achieving such things.
Congratulations, Mr. Obama. You have made history today. I hope you are able to keep most of the promises you've made and do not find yourself terribly stymied or limited by those in positions of power who seek only to improve themselves. I hope your tenure as President of the United States inspires others to dream big, to reach above the government "handouts," and make something of themselves-and especially, to ease the suffering of humanity the world over instead of focusing on themselves and what they can accomplish for their own gains.
"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
This quote, from Mr. Obama's inauguration speech, speaks volumes to me about what we, as Christians, should be aiming to do. Bringing the Gospel to all the unreached will not be an easy task-and we were never promised it would be. But if we will willingly give our all to this undoubtedly difficult task, what does that say about our character?
Mr. Obama, I hope the Lord meets you right where you are, and that He grants you wisdom in leading this flawed but great nation of ours.
Bethany
I also hope, that as the "honeymoon" phase ends and the weeks wear into months and we struggle to turn the Titanic of this nation around and head in a better direction, that all those who've placed such hope in him will not be disillusioned. I hope they will remember that he is just a man; like any other, he is subject to shortcomings and human failings, and he will make mistakes-it just comes with the territory of humanity. I do hope that Mr. Obama is able to enact change, that our economy stops its downward slide and starts back in an upward direction, that we are able to bring peace and stability to the Middle East and bring our brave service men & women home, that reforms are made to such ailing giants as healthcare, education, and social service programs. I hope these changes can be made without conceding too much power to the government and without socializing or nationalizing too many programs-especially with healthcare, which is generally even more inefficient and bureaucratic when a government is placed in charge-just take a look at Britain. I hope that we do not have to concede our rights in the name of "progress" and "change."
I hope that people will remember that true change takes time. When civil rights began to be fought for in the early 1950's, most marches and protests were localized, unique events that didn't get much coverage. With the advent of television, the message was able to spread more quickly. But it was not until 1968 that the final anti-discrimination legislation was passed (the Fair Housing Act), and that only after two years sitting in Congress and the death of a certain prominent minister who'd always advocated peaceful change-the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. This was also more than one hundred years after the official demise of slavery. I hope everyone will remember that and not grow impatient with Obama when change does not happen RIGHTNOW as they wish it would. When that happened in the 60's, with the growth of Black Power, the militant Black Panthers and even the numerous urban riots, it damaged the appearance of the civil rights movement-so I hope that those most desirous of change will remember that peaceful activism, though perhaps a bit slower than we'd like, is always most effective in the long run.
I don't know if any of those early civil rights activists, whom I admire for their faith and courage, would ever have thought the day would come that a black man (even half-black) could be president. I know I didn't expect to see it until I was much older, because I felt the United States was still too strongly biased to accept such a man as Commander-in-Chief. For a woman, it's even harder, especially if she has children (yet no-one has said a word about any man's abilities in government if he has children...). But that day has come. A line has been crossed, the bar has been raised, and I hope it inspires more minorities to strive for bigger and better things-because they are fully capable of achieving such things.
Congratulations, Mr. Obama. You have made history today. I hope you are able to keep most of the promises you've made and do not find yourself terribly stymied or limited by those in positions of power who seek only to improve themselves. I hope your tenure as President of the United States inspires others to dream big, to reach above the government "handouts," and make something of themselves-and especially, to ease the suffering of humanity the world over instead of focusing on themselves and what they can accomplish for their own gains.
"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
This quote, from Mr. Obama's inauguration speech, speaks volumes to me about what we, as Christians, should be aiming to do. Bringing the Gospel to all the unreached will not be an easy task-and we were never promised it would be. But if we will willingly give our all to this undoubtedly difficult task, what does that say about our character?
Mr. Obama, I hope the Lord meets you right where you are, and that He grants you wisdom in leading this flawed but great nation of ours.
Bethany
Monday, November 3, 2008
election time
Elections are tomorrow. Many people are voting, many especially who have never done so before. In a day or two, we'll have a good idea of who will be our next president (though I understand there has to be some wait to know for sure, something about the electoral college). And we may have made the gravest mistake we could possibly have made.
I have held back for some time on discussing my concerns about this election, because I believe in examining evidence (NOT rhetoric) and coming to a conclusion based on those observations. And while my observations may not lead me to be excited about the candidate I am voting for, they do lead me to have deep concerns about the candidate I will NOT be voting for.
This candidate, for whom I am not voting, has incredible charisma, the likes of which have not been seen perhaps in decades. He speaks words of hope and change, all the while failing to openly disclose just what "change" he intends to make.
This candidate has caused an unease in my spirit for months, since long before it was decided who would be the actual candidates for the parties. This candidate's meteoric rise to political stardom is stunning, and disconcerting. This candidate would, I believe, create hardships for Christianity not yet seen in America. Perhaps the prayers of the Chinese church will soon come true-perhaps we will soon be facing strong persecution, and perhaps the church will begin to pray and fast and return to her first love. Why do I say he would create hardships for Christianity? Well, Christianity and Biblically-based beliefs oppose much of what he stands for, and even much of the far-left agenda. I have already seen his supporters attacking those who oppose him, and have seen many good people appear to have "the wool pulled over their eyes" regarding this candidate. His rise to prominence is unprecedented...and that, too has me concerned.
Father, I pray you'd hear my words and the words of so many of my brothers & sisters in You. I pray You'd move on the hearts of the people of this country to vote for the candidate who will allow Your work to continue unhindered, that we may continue to spread the Gospel over this earth. Please place Your hand upon this election, please move the hearts of Your people, please uncover their eyes that they be not deceived! And more than anything else, Father, I pray You would have mercy upon this nation...for what I fear we are about to do.
I have held back for some time on discussing my concerns about this election, because I believe in examining evidence (NOT rhetoric) and coming to a conclusion based on those observations. And while my observations may not lead me to be excited about the candidate I am voting for, they do lead me to have deep concerns about the candidate I will NOT be voting for.
This candidate, for whom I am not voting, has incredible charisma, the likes of which have not been seen perhaps in decades. He speaks words of hope and change, all the while failing to openly disclose just what "change" he intends to make.
This candidate has caused an unease in my spirit for months, since long before it was decided who would be the actual candidates for the parties. This candidate's meteoric rise to political stardom is stunning, and disconcerting. This candidate would, I believe, create hardships for Christianity not yet seen in America. Perhaps the prayers of the Chinese church will soon come true-perhaps we will soon be facing strong persecution, and perhaps the church will begin to pray and fast and return to her first love. Why do I say he would create hardships for Christianity? Well, Christianity and Biblically-based beliefs oppose much of what he stands for, and even much of the far-left agenda. I have already seen his supporters attacking those who oppose him, and have seen many good people appear to have "the wool pulled over their eyes" regarding this candidate. His rise to prominence is unprecedented...and that, too has me concerned.
Father, I pray you'd hear my words and the words of so many of my brothers & sisters in You. I pray You'd move on the hearts of the people of this country to vote for the candidate who will allow Your work to continue unhindered, that we may continue to spread the Gospel over this earth. Please place Your hand upon this election, please move the hearts of Your people, please uncover their eyes that they be not deceived! And more than anything else, Father, I pray You would have mercy upon this nation...for what I fear we are about to do.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Reflections on a year gone by...
I'm 23 today! Yay! Yikes! Yay!
It has been quite a year, with many changes, both good and bad. I was Initiated into my [women's] fraternity. My sister moved back to Tennessee and then back to North Carolina a few months later. I experienced joys and frustrations, happiness and sorrows, love and extreme dislike, and most everything in between. I never got to go to Texas as a 22-year-old, the first year since I was 18 that has happened. I made some friends and said goodbye to others, found myself (mostly unexpectedly) in leadership roles, was prophesied over and prayed over, watched friends marry or give birth (mostly from a distance), prayed for my someday beloved and learned more about the One who calls me Beloved. So, now that this crazy-hectic-never-to-be-repeated year has ended, where does birthday number 23 find me?
Here, for now. A few weeks ago I applied for a Global Expeditions trip and two Saturdays ago, I was accepted to go-to Azerbaijan. I wasn't sure it would be able to happen, but since that day, the Lord has been working on me, as I've spent more time with Him, awakening within me things that have long lain dormant-wishes, desires, dreams, and hopes, but most of all, and more importantly, Love.
When I was at the Honor Academy, and after I graduated, one of my most frequent prayers was, "Lord, break my heart for the things that break Yours. I want to see people as You see them, not as I see them, I want to feel for them what You feel for them, and I want to love them as You love them." The Lord taught me a great deal about brokenness in that year, and grew within me a deep, abiding love for the nations-all nations-and the people within them.
It's been a long time since I prayed that prayer. I wish that weren't true, but it is, and my heart has been toughened & hardened since I stopped praying it. I'm not even sure how long it's been since I stopped praying that prayer-months, perhaps a year or more. But in recent days, the breaking has begun anew. Little cracks in the wall, the dam that my heart has somehow become, and I know that soon the cracks will become bigger cracks, and bigger ones, and finally break the whole thing down if I allow Him to do it-and I want Him to. The deeper His love within me for people and for the nations, the straighter I'm able to keep my priorities. Otherwise, other stuff creeps in-stuff I'd like to have, and stuff I want-because I forget ever-so-quickly that this life is not about me.
Back in December, after a night of great presence of the Lord in our church, I was prophesied over, and this is what was spoken: "The nations are to become your priority. No longer are relationships to be your main priority, but the nations, and what I am calling you to." That thought has been within me, growing roots and taking hold, because I would be content to remain here in the States for years doing one thing after another, before I'd do what I know I am called to. But souls hang in the balance, and they are too important, too precious, too beloved for me to ignore the calling on my life. Yes, it means I'll have to make sacrifices, and yes, it means I don't get to do all I want, have all I want, gain the recognition I'd like to have for my achievements. Yes, it's going to hurt to give some of those wants up. But people's lives are too important for me to care the most about me.
As I face the growing possibility of a transfer to another school, the possibility of going to nursing school within the year, the possibility of being on the mission field (part-time or full-time) within as few as five years (after gaining nursing experience in the States first), the possibility of paying off my student loan debt (and hopefully not gaining any more), my heart steps slowly out of the timidity to which it is accustomed and begins to step into this new season. It's been a long time since I've had to trust the Lord this fully. But as He's spoken to me several times the last week or so-and will likely speak to me again-"You only see all that you are giving up, but I see all you have to gain."
It's time to stop thinking logically and start thinking faithfully. And I want to do that, in ever greater measure, because it is required for the life God has in store for me-if I obey him and follow His leading. My dad started my birthday off by having us take Communion at midnight-a very auspicious beginning to a new phase of life-the phase where I begin to move into my calling. To close, I want leave you with what my dad emailed me-right after midnight on this, my 23rd birthday-with only a tiny part cut out because I'm not authorized to share it with the world yet. :)
"My Dear Sweet Bethany!
"I want to take this time to wish you a very, very Happy Birthday! Your 22nd year was full of adventure and interesting developments. May your 23rd year be the very best you've ever had. May you find joy, peace, contentment, and lot's of fun as you enjoy life, friends, family, and the world around you. I bless you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. May you be blessed in your walk with God, your friends, your family. May you find strength and joy in His presence. May you increase in your knowledge of Him, may the joy of knowing Him increase in you. May you be blessed in all you do.
"We love you,
"Mom & Dad
"(This of course, is from Dad.)"
Blessings,
Bethany
P.S. I'm looking forward to Azerbaijan next summer! ;-)
It has been quite a year, with many changes, both good and bad. I was Initiated into my [women's] fraternity. My sister moved back to Tennessee and then back to North Carolina a few months later. I experienced joys and frustrations, happiness and sorrows, love and extreme dislike, and most everything in between. I never got to go to Texas as a 22-year-old, the first year since I was 18 that has happened. I made some friends and said goodbye to others, found myself (mostly unexpectedly) in leadership roles, was prophesied over and prayed over, watched friends marry or give birth (mostly from a distance), prayed for my someday beloved and learned more about the One who calls me Beloved. So, now that this crazy-hectic-never-to-be-repeated year has ended, where does birthday number 23 find me?
Here, for now. A few weeks ago I applied for a Global Expeditions trip and two Saturdays ago, I was accepted to go-to Azerbaijan. I wasn't sure it would be able to happen, but since that day, the Lord has been working on me, as I've spent more time with Him, awakening within me things that have long lain dormant-wishes, desires, dreams, and hopes, but most of all, and more importantly, Love.
When I was at the Honor Academy, and after I graduated, one of my most frequent prayers was, "Lord, break my heart for the things that break Yours. I want to see people as You see them, not as I see them, I want to feel for them what You feel for them, and I want to love them as You love them." The Lord taught me a great deal about brokenness in that year, and grew within me a deep, abiding love for the nations-all nations-and the people within them.
It's been a long time since I prayed that prayer. I wish that weren't true, but it is, and my heart has been toughened & hardened since I stopped praying it. I'm not even sure how long it's been since I stopped praying that prayer-months, perhaps a year or more. But in recent days, the breaking has begun anew. Little cracks in the wall, the dam that my heart has somehow become, and I know that soon the cracks will become bigger cracks, and bigger ones, and finally break the whole thing down if I allow Him to do it-and I want Him to. The deeper His love within me for people and for the nations, the straighter I'm able to keep my priorities. Otherwise, other stuff creeps in-stuff I'd like to have, and stuff I want-because I forget ever-so-quickly that this life is not about me.
Back in December, after a night of great presence of the Lord in our church, I was prophesied over, and this is what was spoken: "The nations are to become your priority. No longer are relationships to be your main priority, but the nations, and what I am calling you to." That thought has been within me, growing roots and taking hold, because I would be content to remain here in the States for years doing one thing after another, before I'd do what I know I am called to. But souls hang in the balance, and they are too important, too precious, too beloved for me to ignore the calling on my life. Yes, it means I'll have to make sacrifices, and yes, it means I don't get to do all I want, have all I want, gain the recognition I'd like to have for my achievements. Yes, it's going to hurt to give some of those wants up. But people's lives are too important for me to care the most about me.
As I face the growing possibility of a transfer to another school, the possibility of going to nursing school within the year, the possibility of being on the mission field (part-time or full-time) within as few as five years (after gaining nursing experience in the States first), the possibility of paying off my student loan debt (and hopefully not gaining any more), my heart steps slowly out of the timidity to which it is accustomed and begins to step into this new season. It's been a long time since I've had to trust the Lord this fully. But as He's spoken to me several times the last week or so-and will likely speak to me again-"You only see all that you are giving up, but I see all you have to gain."
It's time to stop thinking logically and start thinking faithfully. And I want to do that, in ever greater measure, because it is required for the life God has in store for me-if I obey him and follow His leading. My dad started my birthday off by having us take Communion at midnight-a very auspicious beginning to a new phase of life-the phase where I begin to move into my calling. To close, I want leave you with what my dad emailed me-right after midnight on this, my 23rd birthday-with only a tiny part cut out because I'm not authorized to share it with the world yet. :)
"My Dear Sweet Bethany!
"I want to take this time to wish you a very, very Happy Birthday! Your 22nd year was full of adventure and interesting developments. May your 23rd year be the very best you've ever had. May you find joy, peace, contentment, and lot's of fun as you enjoy life, friends, family, and the world around you. I bless you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. May you be blessed in your walk with God, your friends, your family. May you find strength and joy in His presence. May you increase in your knowledge of Him, may the joy of knowing Him increase in you. May you be blessed in all you do.
"We love you,
"Mom & Dad
"(This of course, is from Dad.)"
Blessings,
Bethany
P.S. I'm looking forward to Azerbaijan next summer! ;-)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
I remember
Five years ago...I remember what I was doing, who first told me about the attacks, how things seemed to unfold, how I was frightened, angry, and confused...I was fifteen, a sophomore in high school. I remember the palpable change in the atmosphere at my school. I remember...God. Even though I wasn't seriously following him at the time, I remember. I remember the heartbreak of our nation, the strength we found somewhere deep within ourselves-that we didn't know we had. I remember the unity. I remember being so glad it was President Bush and not Gore in charge of kicking the bad guys' butts. I remember so much.
Life has changed. We've moved on. Things have improved-and gotten worse. Our world is a volatile, violent place right now. Peace will never come for everyone, because there is an enemy who stalks us, seeking our destruction. But perhaps...perhaps we could make peace with the neighbor we've fought with, or the relative we've feuded with, or the former best-friend whom we haven't spoken to in two years. Perhaps, instead of exploding the next time someone cuts us off in traffic, we could take a deep breath and let it out slowly-because it's not that big of a deal. And perhaps, most importantly, we could make peace within our own hearts. And the only way to do that is God. Peace begins within. If their is no inner peace, there can be no true outer peace. We wonder why these militants are so willing to die to make sure others die-it's because they do not have the peace and the love of God within their hearts. They're filling their inner void with something they believe has meaning-because Satan has woven a web of deciet over their eyes and they have been darkened. They need the one true God. Allah will never bring peace.
Father, I pray...for what? I don't know. The Muslims. They think they know you, they think they serve you...but all they do is worship false things. Their lives are expended on things that have no eternal value. I pray they'd see that you don't care if they kneel to pray five times daily, you only care what the condition of their hearts is. I pray they'd see the futility of religious rituals and cry out for You. Their hearts are thirsty, Lord, and if only their devoted hearts could be turned to you. I pray the veil that hides your beauty from them would fall and be broken, shattered, turned ultimately to dust and ashes...and I pray that they would see your face. For that is the only way they'll believe and see and know the truth. Amen.
Life has changed. We've moved on. Things have improved-and gotten worse. Our world is a volatile, violent place right now. Peace will never come for everyone, because there is an enemy who stalks us, seeking our destruction. But perhaps...perhaps we could make peace with the neighbor we've fought with, or the relative we've feuded with, or the former best-friend whom we haven't spoken to in two years. Perhaps, instead of exploding the next time someone cuts us off in traffic, we could take a deep breath and let it out slowly-because it's not that big of a deal. And perhaps, most importantly, we could make peace within our own hearts. And the only way to do that is God. Peace begins within. If their is no inner peace, there can be no true outer peace. We wonder why these militants are so willing to die to make sure others die-it's because they do not have the peace and the love of God within their hearts. They're filling their inner void with something they believe has meaning-because Satan has woven a web of deciet over their eyes and they have been darkened. They need the one true God. Allah will never bring peace.
Father, I pray...for what? I don't know. The Muslims. They think they know you, they think they serve you...but all they do is worship false things. Their lives are expended on things that have no eternal value. I pray they'd see that you don't care if they kneel to pray five times daily, you only care what the condition of their hearts is. I pray they'd see the futility of religious rituals and cry out for You. Their hearts are thirsty, Lord, and if only their devoted hearts could be turned to you. I pray the veil that hides your beauty from them would fall and be broken, shattered, turned ultimately to dust and ashes...and I pray that they would see your face. For that is the only way they'll believe and see and know the truth. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)