Today we woke
up to an uncertain outcome. Many are in a state of unrest, anxiety, disappointment,
division. As I got caught up on emails and
connections this morning my thoughts and spirit were moved by a song from the
past. I was taken back to my childhood –
while young I was aware of the period of unrest, anxiety and division. We lived in Ohio at the time of Kent State. The scars of war affected many and this was
followed by racial tension when we lived in Milwaukee during the time of “desegregation’
with forced bussing in the schools which brought unrest, anxiety and division
to personal, community and societal levels.
This song remained a spiritual anthem for the country for over a decade
and was a call for people to stop – stop and really look at “what was going
down”… ”Paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep, it starts when you’re
always afraid” … and a reminder that “nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong”.
I listened to
that song several times. Quite a few
memories came back; many thoughts flooded my mind. First, I was reminded “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done
again; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes)”. Yet
while change is one of the only constants of life along with uncertainty and
disappointment, there is an even bigger more powerful constant…
Hebrews
13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever.
Malachi
3:6 For I the LORD do not change; therefore
you ARE NOT CONSUMED.
Psalm
33:11 The counsel of the LORD stands
forever, the plans of his hear to all generations.
Revelation
22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
first and the last, the beginning and the end.
It is through
the Constant of the Great I AM and His love that we can have unwavering
security, certainty and peace no matter circumstance.
Which led to
the second stream of thought as I came back to those lyrics… “Stop children
what’s that sound, everybody look what’s going down”… ”Paranoia strikes deep,
into your life it will creep, it starts when you’re always afraid” … and a
reminder that “nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong”. And the words UNITY and
LOVE provoked my mind and my being. There
has never really been a time without division, some level of anxiety or
uncertainty in this country - war for
independence, war for individual rights and freedom, war AGAINST slavery and
FOR human dignity, war against racial holocaust, unrest for equality, cries for
right to life, cries against injustice, extreme “passionate protest” of
domestic terrorism. Somehow WE the
people were able to overcome by choosing understanding, compassion, love, hope,
faith in each other while holding on to FAITH in the Father. We chose to view
our neighbor, our fellow citizens, as those who may have different views yet a
fellow human who deserved respect. We
chose to be responsible and realize that our actions must not be based on paranoia
resulting in destruction and division.
We chose rather to use our disappointment and our energy to POSITIVELY
affect those around us and in our community resulting in RESPECT and UNITY.
It is my prayer
today for each of us to STOP AND LOOK AROUND, to not allow the PARANOIA creep
in as we fear outcomes or as once again circumstance around us shakes emotions,
to CHOOSE RESPECT and UNITY, to find the ability to rise above and express or perform
actions that BUILD not divide, to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as HE FIRST LOVED US. I pray for this nation… yes. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I PRAY FOR EACH OF OUR
HEARTS.
2 Corinthians
13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters,
rejoice! Strive for full restoration,
encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with
you.
Ephesians
4:32 to be mad new in the attitude of
our minds.
Philippians
2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition
or vain conceit, Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
Romans
14:19 Let us therefore make every effort
to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Psalm
133:1 How good and pleasant it is when
God’s people live together in unity!
