Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
Do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Recently, there have been recurring themes in the political discourse of our nation calling us to respond in kind to the abuses of our enemies. The rhetoric implies that if an enemy uses cruel and inhumane measures, it is only fair that we respond in kind so our conflict is waged on level ground. Inherent in this argument is the danger that we succumb to the very evil we say we oppose.
I cannot change the course of a nation on my own, but transformed by the love of Christ, I can help bring change in my home, school, office, church, and community. To be still and wait before the Lord requires a discipline of faith that resists the temptations of flawed, human parity. You see, it isn’t about keeping my eyes on the actions of others, and then emulating them. Rather, it is about keeping my eyes upon God and then emulating the actions of Jesus, the Christ.
Perhaps the words from the chorus of Helen Lemmel’s great hymn give us perspective here: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
Prayer: Guide my steps, my sight, my thoughts this day, O Lord. May I see and follow Jesus. Amen.
Jim Abernathy
No comments:
Post a Comment