As
if the past year and a half wasn’t preparation enough, these past 9 days
have taken many Americans on quite an interesting ride (and that’s -- to say
the least). We’ve faced unwelcome
surprises. Daily, political developments grow more & more bizarre. We’re either witnessing overt and sick behavior we haven’t
seen before, or, overt and sick behavior we haven’t seen in decades...
We’re greeting old friends and wondering who they voted for… failing to
make eye contact with strangers at Shop Rite, signing out of
social media because it’s just too much, or signing on because we’re
info-addicts. We’re watching the news all day or shutting off the TV in protest for peace. We're living in a new kind of day, but perhaps without the cheer that newness typically brings..
It's true.
Because - the biggest misstep, I believe, is that
some have tied their entire futures to the successful or failing fate of this country. Now - whether this past
week was a victory or a loss for you, if you’ve paid enough attention to
anything that’s taken place – ANYTHING -- you may have felt a new kind of
fear, faced different doubts, drummed up new concerns, or at the very least, found that you had new
questions... And it's true.
It’s clearer now more than ever before that times are changing
and this world needs more than a “good man” in a seat - it needs God, and He's on a throne..
Can I be honest and just say that I felt I’d woken up to a new America on November 9th?
Everything I thought I knew about a country I’d grown to love -- like a stone to a brick wall, crashed into my heart and didn't settle well. Can I be honest and say that I felt a little sick in my stomach – like I had this target on my back - like my country
didn’t value or want me. And as if all of the publicized shootings/stranglings, etc. of these past two
years weren’t enough, I once again felt the weight who I was according
to this older white man I’d met in the diner when I
was just about 10 years old. I was a double minority, he said – “a black
young female so (I) had to work harder to prove my worth…”
Now, my experience doesn’t have to be
yours and I promise I haven’t been living in a bubble -- but growing up
in the nineties.. in “blue,” mid-class NJ, I must admit
that in most of my memories, we just all got along. Black, white, yellow, brown –
I had friends from literally all walks of life, ethnicities,
and backgrounds and we fared well. We’d attend the same middle school parties and dance to DMX and the
Spice Girls lol.. I would read through the pages of history books and thank
God that I had just missed the Civil Rights era.
My grade of millennials, I thought - were taught better and lived
differently as a result. Diversity didn’t call for hatred and blatant
disrespect. Yeah, I'd experienced some questionable moments - I'd felt racism at times.. been acquainted with it at times, but I didn't live it.
 |
| Spice Force Five!!... (sorry...) |
Things got murky on November
9th, and those who did vote spoke loud and clear. The man who had openly took shots against many a minority, war veteran,
woman, immigrant, athlete, you name it – was deemed “best suited” to be the new
leader of the free world. And whether we'd like to "acquaint" the then-candidate to racism itself - many of his supporters woke up to a world that had subtly justified and made room for the bad behaviors of old. It seemed that his election was a pass for domestic terrorism... and in this last week, young children were subject to taunting, mockery, and physical bullying at school all because of the color of their skin. What kind of alternate universe...?
Now, I'll be honest. I went to bed knowing
who would win. And I slept well.
I knew who held my tomorrow... I just didn’t
like who held the electoral vote..lol.
And it took a minute for me – it did. But I’m feeling really unafraid…
Not because I trust the President-Elect any more than I did when I went to the polls – I don’t.
Not because I believe the protests will accomplish much… I … don’t.
Not because I’m moving to Canada – I won’t…just yet :)
But in all of this confusion, I’m clear on who I belong to.
It’s not this state, country or world.
I belong to God.
Can I tell you that the first song I heard on the morning after the election reduced me to tears?
“Abba (Father)… I belong to you.” (Take a Listen..)
I'm secure. So much more secure than I even felt in that moment... What a reminder. What a relief. What sweet
comfort that come what may ----
God is bigger, and God is for me.
Doesn’t
this put things in best perspective?
That to date, my Father has and would continue to
do more for me than any government, Republican,
Independent or Democrat ...
What a ROCK to stand on.
If it wasn't that deep for you, at this point, it has to be.
Who have we put our trust in America?
I may be disgusted with
the resurgence of racism, hate crimes and overall tension, but this
isn’t a surprise… the bible warns of times like these:
2 Timothy 3:1-5a: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to
their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power…”
(We've been here for a while, I think...)
And I may be disheartened, by the cruelty of this world, but I’m not about to let it conquer me |
I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 where Paul encourages believers to ENDURE with a special kind of courage and staying power
|
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but
not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but
not destroyed;
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in (us)."
Christ in me is still my hope of glory.
It reminds me to put on strength.
Because nothing will separate me from the love of God.
It reminds me to wear it well...
Because nothing can separate me from what is eternal.
Even right here, right now
-- God is still God. He still loves justice. He still vindicates the
oppressed. He still watches over them. His heart doesn't change. He's still the Righteous Judge. He
is
still STRONG. He's
still in control. He is not sleep. He has not lost. He is still LOVE. He’s still defends the one who chooses and LOVES Him. (Psalm 107).
So whether this new president
impresses the nations or shakes things to near shambles, it's better this world
find that it needs more than a “reasonable human
being” in any seat of authority to believe in – it needs something
steady, true, something
worthy. Something eternal. Unchanging. Unfailing. Something real.
Something our hearts of faith can sense, but our minds can’t all the way fathom. A
true and living God. A Good Father. A Good King...
JESUS.
... Before
this election, given our choices, I prayed that God would have mercy on
this country. I prayed that over and over. And as Christians, we ought to pray for the leadership of
our countries – so that I will do. But what I soon realized, in the days after the
election, is that
this is God’s mercy on America – when times grow uncertain there soon
comes a turning back to Him. And if pride goes before a fall... and we are
on our way down... at least we’re on our knees again. At least we're back to prayer. And that is His
mercy.
(Romans 8:28-29)
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Eyes. On. Him.
He’s the King.
If you're on the side of love. Stay right there. Love your neighbor. LOVE without fear.
Start looking those strangers in the eyes again. Smile, maybe. Just don't let skepticism reign..
You have a different King. You have Christ.
You have a different heart - You belong to God.
Keep this in mind, and keep your peace:)
#NOTAfraid.
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