Today’s a new day!
Praying for all of our teachers, school staff and students. Bless and protect them. No one should ever have to live this experience. It’s well past time for common sense gun laws. How many more times do you want to write “thoughts and prayers” on your social media pages? Enough is enough. ~OC
Today’s a new day! Another mass shooting in America. More tears. More pain. One more community devastated by gun violence. One less person at the dinner table. When will America wake up?
As I digest yet another senseless act of gun violence in America, I have to examine my own life and asked what can I do to be a positive light in a dark world?
As a Christian, I am called to remember that God chose to enter a time as violent and faithless as our own and that the light of God cannot, will not, shall not ever be overcome by the darkness of this world. What will I do with the light I have been given in the healing life, witness, death and resurrection of Jesus? Will I stare at the flame and pretend I don’t see the darkness around me? Or will I carry God’s call to put down my sword, love my enemy, and pray for those who bring harm to the world?
But I must confess; in the light of another mass shooting, sometimes it feels like what can I really do to help? The situation feels overwhelming. l long for more help, for God to come in a new and powerful way. That His love will act like a consuming fire that will burn up all the ugliness— all the negativity that mares the beauty that I know is here. Sometimes the most honest and faithful prayer I can lift up to God for America is, “Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us, because we are sorely hindered by our shortcomings, let your bountiful grace and mercy help and deliver us.”
But, we must all stand up and take action. Some of these actions will be individual and some will involve working with other people. Some of the discernment about what should be done will happen alone, in prayer, and some of it will happen in a crowded room of people who are disagreeing, respectfully, about our next steps on gun violence and other issues that are effecting our little piece of the world. But together we must press for discussion, debate, and action on the issues facing our communities. Mournful silence is an option, but only if we sinfully close ourselves off to God’s clamoring in our hearts to be part of the change.
So in between those cries for God to come, to save us in ways we cannot, we are free to make choices, each day to make a difference. We know what human beauty would look like, what it would sounds like. So why don’t we let it have its moment? ~OC
Okay. So a few weeks ago the Christian community was up in arms about the Opening Ceremonies at the Paris Olympics. Then many Christians were upset about the Democratic Convention last week. You flooded social media with calls for boycotts and apologies. But then a video of washed up wrestler Hulk Hogan who spoke at the Republican Convention a few weeks ago surfaced threatening the Vice President of the United States with violence and not a word of outrage from the Christian community. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I believe it’s time for some of you to check your hearts. You appear more concerned about a political party and a particular presidential candidate than you do about loving Jesus and speaking out against anyone who supports that candidate. That’s why more people continue to walk away from the Church. And can you really blame them. But of course, I am sure someone will leave a comment defending the actions of this former entertainer who supposedly gave his life to Christ earlier this year. ~OC
Good morning God. I come with a heavy heart this morning. I am tired of all the hate and violence in our world. It hit home this morning, as I watch a loved one and his family struggle with the grief of violence.
This morning, I lift prayers up for this family and every family walking through pain and loss today caused by hate and violence. We know life has always been a struggle between peace and violence. Good and evil. We know love and peace give hope to a broken world. That is something that so many of us are striving for in this world. We also realize that there is a group of people spreading hate and violence to destroy peace, hope and love. Good and gracious God, we know hate and violence tries to shatter love and hope. We know hate and violence can tear apart people, families and communities. But we also know that by loving and caring for the hurting, we can bring hope and love back to broken relationships and communities.
In each of us, is a seed of peace and love. It calls out not only to be recognized, but to be nurtured and cared for. As we scroll through social media or turn on the tv, we see what seems like an endless stream of hate and violence. Dear God, help us hold on to those seeds of peace, hope, love and unity.
As fear and violence try to destroy and divide us, may our repulsion of these actions turn us to the soil of our souls. May we instead plant seeds of hope, love and peace. May we work together to nurture those seeds of change. Regardless of skin color, different faiths, cultures or political views may we work together to create change. Not just change for this generation, but for generations to come.
Dear God, do not allow us not to buy into the lies that resistance of violence requires anger, aggression and animosity. No, keep reminding us that peace, prayers, love and community are the ways to achieve the positive changes we cry out for.
Dear God, remind us that love and peace are a constant pursuit and they only grow when we nurture and care for them. Peace, hope and love require constant tending, mindfulness in every moment, and a willingness to see each person as a reflection of You. Amen. ~OC
The Blessed Overcomer 