- The Dominican Republic is on the same island as Haiti, but has enjoyed better government. As a result, building codes were better, infrastructure was better, economic policy was better, and the people were not set up for near as much suffering as Haiti, even in the face of a huge earthquake. Why must Haiti suffer so much today?
- Humans have both overpopulated and mismanaged our relationship with the planet to the extent that we have set up a huge die-off of life, unless we can repent and make meaningful change. Yet, after decades of growing evidence, denial is still largely the preferred method of human leadership on this issue.
- Although the genius of American government was founded on free speech, our inability to differentiate between voters and corporations (they are both considered equal citizens under today's law) has created the ability for corporate capital to outshout mere voters in any debate. In Alaska, where we have witnessed multiple prosecutions of big corporations buying the votes of legislators, we know that such speech will be abused. The Supreme Court's decision today in favor of big business was simply an immoral, betrayal of government of, by and for the people to government of, by and for big business. And the rights of the little person will suffer.
In truth, as much as we pray for God in our lives it seems to me that when God appears in our midst in ways we can recognize, we often don't really want it. In fact we rebel against it. Witness this familiar Epiphany season passage from Scripture:
Matthew 2:1-2 and 2:16
1After Jesus was
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born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him...When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.Herod didn't want this Messiah and tried to prevent him from coming into his ministry. This is the Messiah story for today. If we are serious about trying to see the Messiah, we must begin by recognizing that there are still people like Herod today--we recognize these Herod-types by the injustice. And if we are to see the Messiah in God's Holy-Spirit-Work today, then we must look for the movement of God to address today's injustice. For instance:
- In Haiti, it is the greed and prejudice that so mismanaged that island nation that it was not prepared for an earthquake that had to come. The Messiah, now, is found right in the suffering people. Remember Jesus on the cross? That is the first place to see the Messiah--in the Holy Spirit's presence in the suffering. The second is in those who not only bring aid, but in others who will stick with the rebuilding of that nation so that relationships might become different from now on, so that the Haitian society will insist on, and government will operate with the kind of justice that is for all the people.
- On planet earth, the Messiah must first be found suffering in the desecrated water and airways, and in all those creatures that are imperiled today. Second, the Messiah must also be found in all human beings who speak the truth about this issue and who take action to change their lives and to change the prevailing wisdom of our society.
- For advocates of free speech, the Messiah can be found in the frustration of voters who know that big corporations have ability to out-spend (meaning out-shout) normal citizens, and in the fire that will inspire the work to bring about the legal changes aimed at real free speech.
- God is present in every experience of suffering (remember the cross), and
- God is at work through God's creatures (remember God was in the man, Jesus, and is now doing Holy-Spirit work through all who will accept it) to redeem all that is broken in the world today.
So what suffering are you passionate about? Do you recognize the Spirit, Who inspires such passion? It is the Holy Spirit.
And what can you do to address the cause of that suffering? Do you recognize that it is the Messiah's Spirit, Who inspires each of us in this service of our Lord?
3 comments:
Thank you so much for the thought and effort you put forth in sharing your thoughts through the blog. I have not commented before but I find them very compelling. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the needs that we witness, and once again I am fed by your words and find a new dedication to do what I do, and trust the outcome to the Lord. What I am also feeling strongly is that one person doing even one thing is essential to meeting God's purpose. It is wasting time trying to figure out how my small efforts affect the big picture. It really doesn't make any difference, does it. It is just important to do SOMETHING.
I think one person doing something does make a difference. I think that the person doing it may not know it, though. I believe that there is a momentum that builds from every good act. It is participating in the Spirit. When we are moved by the Spirit to action, we add to the momentum of what God is doing. Sometimes it is because others see and ponder and are changed. Sometimes it is more obvious than that. But I do believe it makes a difference.
I appreciated the way you put the idea to consider the 'suffering that I am passionate about'. I hadn't really ever thought of it that way. But put in that 'Light' it makes sense to me that I am currently a foster parent. The suffering of innocent children has always been a burning injustice for me.
I have long understood the passage that calls us 'to take up our cross daily' as a call to do the best we can to live with the restrictions and limitations of our own humanity. We all, by sinfilled default, struggle with the nature to be Self-indulgent.
Responding to the still, small voice calling to be Spirit-filled is too often drowned out by voices of convenience.
Praise God our Creator, Who understands our struggle because of Personal experience. We belong to a God Who not only does the calling but does the responding as well.
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