It’s a story from the distant past, with profound implications today. A story of glory on the mountain – mutiny in the valley. Reading it, we can see how the Lord responded when a people who had just committed themselves to be his people reveled in breaking their vows. As we open ourselves to the Word and the Spirit, may we see much more.
Ultimately, collectively, the church quenched the Spirit’s voice in order to embrace the society’s values. The church began to preach - and to try to live - a righteousness unencumbered with justice. But. God.
What do you do when you feel angry, impotent and stuck, in a place where evil seems invincible and justice, impossible? Be still? Wait patiently? Psalm 37:7 may seem like a call to “just relax.” Instead it affirms and encourages struggle – struggle to resist taking matters into your own hands, struggle to cooperate with Christ to birth deliverance and life.
God identifies himself as Defender of the forsaken - especially women forsaken in any number of ways by their husbands, children forsaken in any number of ways by their parents, and foreigners forsaken in any number of ways by the citizens of a land. This same God counts it crucial that his people defend the cause of those who are easiest to abuse.
If you have been forsaken - by your parents, by your spouse, by people around you who count you "not one of us" - know this: When God finds you among the bereaved and discarded, he himself takes up your cause.
Mini-post: Thought-provoking quote from We Confess! The Civil War, the South, and the Church
"White men are not the secret weapon (to dismantling injustice in the church and beyond) ... but Jesus is."
Much as we may try to do so, we cannot buy ourselves “a pass from American history,” nor from the racist fallout still occurring today.
"The Church's broken history with race needs to be acknowledged before we can move forward."
We Confess! The Civil War, the South, and the Church - Q&A 4 What would you say is the most crucial thing that needs to be seen and dealt with?…
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves ... then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”