O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory. (Psalm 63:1-2)
This morning, multitudes of hearts ache for the loss of lives yesterday in the Connecticut school shooting. As in a dry land, our souls are parched, we search for answers, we look for God's help, for His help.
Though very few facts are in, I can't help but remember our Bible Study this past Wednesday at Zion. We discussed, for a bit, the issue of a growing population with very serious mental health issues. We discussed mental health issues that go undiagnosed, that are misdiagnosed, treatment that is refused by the patient, and treatments that may actually do more harm and be more dangerous to society than if none were administered. Some of these diseases are very physical; while, others are psychological, brought on by stress in or the circumstances of one's life. Although we know it, we seldom truly accept that physical and psychological health are both affected by and effect our spiritual health. We have a long way to go in recognizing, diagnosing and treating mental illness. In the meantime, a lot of people suffer, both the one who is ill and the people around them - all of society.
There are also those who are already using this latest shooting as an excuse for tighter gun control. And, there are those who lament the fact that God has been outlawed in public schools. In fact, God has not been outlawed in public school. No one can stop you from voluntary praying. They can; however, stop you from forcing children to pray to your specific God. I would be very happy, indeed, if we all believed in the one God, whom I trust. But, we do not. We live in a country where we have freedom of religion and, as Christians, we rejoice that we are free to do that. However, we have to remember that freedom of religion, in this kingdom, extends to all people. So, let me ask you this question. If organized prayer were allowed in your child's school, would you be willing to have a Wiccan or a Satanist lead those prayers? They are after all both recognized as religions, whether we agree with them or not.
I think it's time to stop blaming the increased violence in the world on guns and the lack of prayer in schools. Will you be praying with your children or grandchildren when they wake up this morning? Will you be praying with them before they lay down to sleep at night? Will you be bringing them to the house of God to hear God's promises and to give Him thanks for all that He has done? If God is missing in this society, I think maybe we should look at what we as individuals, as families, and as a church can do to change ourselves and by result change society around us. Don't wait until there is a major catastrophe to teach your own children and your neighbor's children about what God has done and will do for them and the world around them. And, don't be blaming others if you neglect to teach them this.
For years, I was frustrated with our Sunday School material. What it boiled down to was that we were teaching morality. We don't need to teach them morality. We need to teach them who Jesus is, who God their Father is, who God the Holy Spirit is. So we quit purchasing material and have made the Holy Bible the text book. We are confident that once children (and adults) get to know who this God is; once they get to know Him; once they get to a place where they have a real relationship with God, that thing we call morality will fall into place. Our focus is no longer on how to make them act like real Christians (did you realize that this is what much of our Christian curriculums are actually doing - teaching them to behave?) but not how to have a genuine relationship with God, so that Christ might abide in them and they in Him. When Christ abides in one, then good things, actually may be accomplished.
Without God, nothing good can be accomplished. But, as Christ abides in us, it is He who accomplishes good through us. As St. Paul wrote, "... it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
So how does all this relate to Psalm 63? Do your lips praise God? Do you meditate on Him? In the morning, all through the day, and in the night? Or has He been forgotten in your home? Do you bless God so others might hear of His glorious deeds? Seek the LORD, thirst for His Righteousness.... Quit blaming guns... Quit blaming schools... Quit blaming the government.... What are you doing to teach your children to live in health and in peace?
Ok... so this is a lot of rambling. Hard to focus in light of yesterday's events... The only peace we will ever truly know comes when we recognize who this God of ours is. He can quench our thirst for peace, for equity, for all things good. He and only He can accomplish these things.
God's Peace - Pr. J
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory. (Psalm 63:1-2)
This morning, multitudes of hearts ache for the loss of lives yesterday in the Connecticut school shooting. As in a dry land, our souls are parched, we search for answers, we look for God's help, for His help.
Though very few facts are in, I can't help but remember our Bible Study this past Wednesday at Zion. We discussed, for a bit, the issue of a growing population with very serious mental health issues. We discussed mental health issues that go undiagnosed, that are misdiagnosed, treatment that is refused by the patient, and treatments that may actually do more harm and be more dangerous to society than if none were administered. Some of these diseases are very physical; while, others are psychological, brought on by stress in or the circumstances of one's life. Although we know it, we seldom truly accept that physical and psychological health are both affected by and effect our spiritual health. We have a long way to go in recognizing, diagnosing and treating mental illness. In the meantime, a lot of people suffer, both the one who is ill and the people around them - all of society.
There are also those who are already using this latest shooting as an excuse for tighter gun control. And, there are those who lament the fact that God has been outlawed in public schools. In fact, God has not been outlawed in public school. No one can stop you from voluntary praying. They can; however, stop you from forcing children to pray to your specific God. I would be very happy, indeed, if we all believed in the one God, whom I trust. But, we do not. We live in a country where we have freedom of religion and, as Christians, we rejoice that we are free to do that. However, we have to remember that freedom of religion, in this kingdom, extends to all people. So, let me ask you this question. If organized prayer were allowed in your child's school, would you be willing to have a Wiccan or a Satanist lead those prayers? They are after all both recognized as religions, whether we agree with them or not.
I think it's time to stop blaming the increased violence in the world on guns and the lack of prayer in schools. Will you be praying with your children or grandchildren when they wake up this morning? Will you be praying with them before they lay down to sleep at night? Will you be bringing them to the house of God to hear God's promises and to give Him thanks for all that He has done? If God is missing in this society, I think maybe we should look at what we as individuals, as families, and as a church can do to change ourselves and by result change society around us. Don't wait until there is a major catastrophe to teach your own children and your neighbor's children about what God has done and will do for them and the world around them. And, don't be blaming others if you neglect to teach them this.
For years, I was frustrated with our Sunday School material. What it boiled down to was that we were teaching morality. We don't need to teach them morality. We need to teach them who Jesus is, who God their Father is, who God the Holy Spirit is. So we quit purchasing material and have made the Holy Bible the text book. We are confident that once children (and adults) get to know who this God is; once they get to know Him; once they get to a place where they have a real relationship with God, that thing we call morality will fall into place. Our focus is no longer on how to make them act like real Christians (did you realize that this is what much of our Christian curriculums are actually doing - teaching them to behave?) but not how to have a genuine relationship with God, so that Christ might abide in them and they in Him. When Christ abides in one, then good things, actually may be accomplished.
Without God, nothing good can be accomplished. But, as Christ abides in us, it is He who accomplishes good through us. As St. Paul wrote, "... it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
So how does all this relate to Psalm 63? Do your lips praise God? Do you meditate on Him? In the morning, all through the day, and in the night? Or has He been forgotten in your home? Do you bless God so others might hear of His glorious deeds? Seek the LORD, thirst for His Righteousness.... Quit blaming guns... Quit blaming schools... Quit blaming the government.... What are you doing to teach your children to live in health and in peace?
Ok... so this is a lot of rambling. Hard to focus in light of yesterday's events... The only peace we will ever truly know comes when we recognize who this God of ours is. He can quench our thirst for peace, for equity, for all things good. He and only He can accomplish these things.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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