It was mid-February, and we were on the train, riding from Liverpool back to London. I enjoy people watching, and imagining what the lives of the people around me are like. Whether in an airport, hotel lobby, subway, or restaurant, there is never a shortage of people to imagine about. The train ride was approximately two hours, so I had extra time to observe the two teenagers sitting across the isle and diagonal to us.
From my vantage point, and perspective, they seemed a bit obnoxious. Not because they did anything wrong, but they were louder than the other passengers. Every few minutes, they would erupt into a raucous laughter that made me think maybe they had been talking about us.
They were dressed differently. Different than us, anyway. Even though my husband and I were dressed in casual clothes, the same as them, their attire was sloppy and teenage trendy. Their hair was unkempt, yet styled…How is that even possible? They had piercings and tattoos. All in all, their personalities were edgy, and they seemed a bit sketchy to me.
Just before we arrived in London, a conversation was struck up between the four of us. I’m not sure who asked first, but we began to tell them that we were from the U.S. They asked where in the U.S., and we told them Tennessee. The young man said he didn’t know where that was, but the girl immediately said, “Oh, I know where that is! That’s where they don’t like black people!”
This was so not what I expected her to say. It felt like a slap in the face. I immediately and defensively responded with, “That’s not true!,” not being able to think of anything more eloquent or explanatory to say. She was very adamant in her viewpoint, and didn’t hesitate to come back at me with, “Yes, it IS true! I learned about it in world history. You all hate black people.”
The train had already pulled into the London Station, and everyone was standing up and grabbing their bags. I wanted to defend myself and my people by assuring her that I had plenty of black friends, I use to attend a church with a one-third black congregation, I’m one of the least prejudiced people she would ever meet, and would my black friends please stand up and vouch for me?!?!
In the end, all I had time to lamely call over my shoulder as we went one way, and they went another was, “That was a long time ago!” She called something back to me in reply. I didn’t make it out completely, but I think it was something to the effect of, “Sure. Whatever,” with an eye roll. Rotten kids.
I was so embarrassed. And offended. I had been wrongly labeled by a ragged, obnoxious, hole-punched misfit…whoooo apparently was well studied in world history, and wasn’t afraid to speak out against injustice wherever she perceived it…Heavy sigh…I was busted. Ironic, isn’t it, that I was offended at being labeled by the very people who I had been labeling for the last two hours?
The truth is I really don’t consider myself prejudiced, at all. The truth is I do have plenty of black friends, as well as many other shades of color from all over the world. I hope they know that I love them, and that I don’t consider myself better than they are in any way.
The truth is also that to not say anything is actually saying a whole lot. Not saying anything is saying, “I don’t want to get involved in your difficulty. The truth is that racism is still a HUGE deal in the U.S., and we must say so, and stand against it. Saying nothing is saying a lot.
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34-35)
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” (Revelation 7:9)
#georgefloyd #icantbreathe #endracism
Month: May 2020
Lessons From an Old Altar
We pastor a small, country church. It has a small, country altar. Years ago, the altar had been moved downstairs, as it often was when there was a special program that required more room at the front of the sanctuary. This time, however, the altar wasn’t moved back into place when the program was over. I realize that sounds awful, but I will add that there is a carpeted step that runs the length of the platform which served as the altar area.
One night, my husband had a dream of our two boys carrying the altar between them, and setting it back in place. He took this as instruction from the Lord, and asked our sons to do just that.
He preached that service about that old altar. He named saints that had gone on to their reward who had wept hot tears at that humble bench. He called different ones in the congregation by name, and reminded them how their mother and grandmother had agonized before God for their salvation. He told of a former District Superintendent who had given his life to Jesus while kneeling at that very altar.
Each person was called to approach the altar and make a fresh consecration to God and give reverence to that old country altar where so many lives had been changed. It was one of the most moving services that I’ve ever been a part of. Not because of any well rehearsed program or pageantry, but because of the image of people’s lives and hearts being visibly changed as they knelt or bent to lay their hand lovingly on the smooth wood, and mingled their tears with the tear stains from past generations.
It was in that service that I came to understand more deeply that the altar isn’t just a piece of furniture in a church building. The altar is a place where we are changed. Where we lay down old actions, old habits, old grudges, old ways of thinking, old sinful flesh. Down.
If we aren’t allowing the altar to change us, we’re approaching it wrong. If at all. The altar should alter us.
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
Lions & Leopards & Bears…Oh, My!
The book of Revelation can be down right scary. Am I right?! All of those dreadful beasts with multiple heads, and mixed up body parts. CA-REEEPY!
I just want you to know that if you’re waiting for these literal beasts to show up on the earth before you get right with God, it’s not going to happen. That’s because the books of Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel use IMAGERY. All of those freakish animals described in these books of the Bible represent NATIONS, WORLD SYSTEMS (Political, Financial, Religious) AND WORLD LEADERS.
As a young person, I was so turned off by politics. This is more than ironic, since I grew up in a political family. I was one of those young adults who couldn’t figure out why we couldn’t just all get along. Peace and Harmony…Ebony and Ivory, and all that. Not realizing that God is all up in politics.
“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” (Daniel 2:20-21)
Here is a short list of beasts/animals in the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation, and what they represent:
DANIEL, CHAPTER SEVEN
- LION -Great Britain
- EAGLE’S WINGS -America
- LEOPARD -Germany
- BEAR -Russia
FOUR HORSEMEN of REVELATION, CHAPTER SIX
- White Horse -Catholicism
- Red Horse -Communism
- Black Horse -Capitalism
- Pale Horse -Islamism (The original word is Chloros/Green.)
REVELATION, CHAPTER THIRTEEN
- BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS -The final World Government that will control the whole world just before Jesus returns. It will be a combined Political and Religious system. Under this world system, the Mark of the Beast will be required to participate in commerce.
- The ultimate leader of this system is also called the BEAST, and ANTICHRIST. The leader of the world religious system is called the FALSE PROPHET.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF IMAGERY
- SERPENT/DRAGON -Satan/Devil
- LAMB -We shouldn’t have any problem understanding that the LAMB represents our Savior, JESUS CHRIST, who came to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
Hopefully this list, even though it is not all inclusive, will help you to understand the prophetic books of the Bible better. Hopefully, it will help to alleviate some of your unnecessary fear. Hopefully, it will draw you into the Word of God more often, if you have been avoiding studying endtime events. Hopefully, this list will help you to understand the need to educate yourself on what is happening in the world around you. Hopefully, it will help you to realize that God is all up in politics, and we should be too.
Life Is a Highway
“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil:
he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.” (Proverbs 16:17)
My heart is so grieved as I look around at people going about their daily lives. I feel more and more pressed in the Spirit with every passing day. How can we continue to go about our business as usual, when there is nothing “usual” about our lives anymore?
Just as a highway runs in both directions, and you have the ability to go either way, so each person has a choice of which direction they will travel spiritually -either to, or away from God.
I am crushed when I see people who have lived for God turn and begin to travel away from Him. People who I have personally prayed and wept with in the altar. People I have laughed with, and hugged, and fellowshipped with. People I love and cherish. People who have been saturated with the Spirit of the Living God. And yet they walk away, because life is a highway.
I cry a little every day, sometimes on the outside, and sometimes only in the silence of my heart. I cry for the choices people make that are so obviously driven by flesh. I cry because of the hardness of people’s hearts that were once so pliable in His hands. I cry because of the stubbornness and rebellion of people who have decided that no matter what the consequences are, they are going to do what their flesh craves. And I can’t do anything other than pray, because life is a highway, and people get to choose the direction they will travel.
Each time it happens, I cry a little. I die a little. I ask God why a little…or a lot. I always get the same answer. Life is a highway.
In these last days before Jesus returns, many will choose to travel the road of self satisfaction, self destruction, and ultimately be lost. Others will be traveling in the lane right beside them, yet going an altogether different direction to a life of blessing, peace, holiness, and ultimately to salvation.
I will keep praying, and working, and reaching for one more. For that one who is getting weary of traveling away from God. For the one who is aching to be right with God again. For the one who never knew they could make better choices, and not live for flesh and satan. I will keep talking, and writing, and teaching, and believing for one more who will turn around and walk back to God.
Maybe that one is you. You don’t have to keep going in the direction you have chosen. You can turn around, and walk back to God, because life is a highway.
“And an highway shall be there, and a way,
and it shall be called The way of holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those:
the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isaiah 35:8)