Good Bad Ugly

What I love about scripture is that it doesn’t hide the ugliness and wrongdoings of a nation. It talks openly about it. Some of those instances are embarrassing, hateful, and sad. From the beginning pages of the Bible, we see disfunction, evil, and a slew of mistakes. Such as Adam blaming Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, brother killing brother, lying, etc. They aren’t erased or hidden, but they are recorded so as not to forget. They are there for generations to see.

God always points his people to a better way - a better example, but he also says in numerous places to set up a memorial, remember and tell your generations the stories, the experiences. Why did he tell his people to do that? Why not sweep all the ugly under the rug so no one sees it? Why not hide it so the memories disappear and only our jaded, softened, or even erroneous versions of history are what remains - what is told.

Well, that’s wrong on a lot of levels. It blurs the picture. It erases the facts and it’s unfair to leave the generations after us in the dark. Scripture shows how Israel and the nations of the Bible have many disturbing details in their history, but they remain in scripture for all to see. America as well, has many mess-ups in her history, to put it lightly. But what country doesn’t?

America is my home. I was born here, raised here, educated here, and served my country in the armed forces here and abroad. I am saddened by what I see happening in America. It’s not new, it just has different actors; different generations acting out. Why?

In some ways, we haven’t done a good job of addressing the fallacies. We cover up, makeup, or dress up situations to make ourselves feel better, or sometimes to reinforce ridiculous and selfish behavior. There are things in our society that need to be looked square in the face and dealt with. We need to be able to have differences of thought and opinion. We should always have the freedom to talk about, debate, protest, pass laws against, and grow from our mistakes and experiences. God help us if the day comes when this is taken away from us. Although every voice may not be accurate, let’s hear it. Silence doesn’t mean people are not thinking it. And what’s up with the anarchy!

I have the right to feel this way. I have the right to be angry.

Yes, we do. But we don’t have the right to be lawless. We don’t have the right to destroy property we didn’t build, or to name, shame, and shut down people we don’t agree with, or to destroy people and representations of history because it makes us feel bad.

What if we keep the reminders? What if we look them square in the face and say never again? What if we roll up our sleeves and get together for productive work instead of destructive work? What If?

What would that look like? What change would come from that? What would the outcome be if we moved past our emotions, (not ignore them), and prayed? Move past, angry reactions, (not ignore our anger), and engage in helpful solutions? Move past complacency and put our hands to the plow for good in whatever way we can?

Oh, I’m not naive. I know there are some who refuse to change and won’t change. But there have always been people in America who will MOVE on a situation in an effort to make things better. I want to be one of those people.

I started this blog talking about scripture. I’ll end it this way as well. God sees and God hears. He gave this earth to mankind. His intent is that we care for it well. He’s always available to help us care for it. We just have to ask. My desire is that my fellow believers in God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, will not throw up our hands in defeat, but will help America with your fervent faith-filled prayers because we need it. In prayer, God can give answers and strategies that may not otherwise come to mind. He can help us direct our anger, outrage, and frustration into actions that will produce results. Good results. Every great move of God starts and is bathed in prayer.

God won’t do it for us, but he’ll do it through us.

Christ-followers in scripture turned the world upside down. Dedicated, determined men and women pierced the heavens with heart cries to our powerful God. Occasional watered-down prayers won’t cut it. We need prayers like Daniel, Elijah, Esther, and others who prayed on behalf of their people and their nation. Because God’s view is so much sharper and farther than ours, we need to pray as Jesus taught, not our will but God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What do you say men and women of God? Can we put aside “religion” and come together in Christ? Scripture is full of examples of how God shows up to help a nation in distress. What would happen if a nation of Christ followers prayed and fasted for America? Not just until the dust settles, but regularly? Not just when there is an uprising, or for our own personal agenda. What if we are proactive instead of reactive?

‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ What do you say Christ followers? Let’s join forces and do our best to help flip this - for good!

Scripture references: Genesis 3:12; Genesis 4:8; Joshua 4:4-7; Daniel 10:2-3; Esther 4:15-16; Psalm 115:16; Acts 17:6; 1 Kings 18:38-39; Ephesians 4:26,27; Matthew 6:9-13; Roman 8:31 KJV