Heartbroken...that is what I am. Never have I seen such division. Never have I seen so much divisiveness. Our world is getting crazier and crazier. Families are divided against families. Neighbor against neighbor. So much hatred...so much judgment. I see posts online from Christians tearing down one another and disrespecting fellow image-bearers. I was brought to tears this evening by something I saw online. I was so discouraged...
I have never seen the left and the right so divided. I watched a video about a month ago by a political commentator I follow. And he pointed out this intense divide between the right and the left, and he stated that neither side is willing to compromise what they believe. To give an example: the pro-life conservative is never going to say that abortion is okay...and the pro-choice liberal is never going to say that abortion is not okay. There may be random exceptions to this rule as some people change their minds. Still, as a whole, I'd say the majority of people on both sides of this will not change their minds. And as a pro-life conservative, I would say, "Amen! I am not going to compromise this belief!" To me, it is a matter of life and death...an image-bearers life is worthy of protection. But this political commentator argued that we are no longer the "UNITED States of America." He predicted that we will either fall apart as a nation or limp along as we have been doing in recent years.
But I'm so thankful that this is not where the story ends.
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 147:1-11 (ESV)
There's a sovereign God of the universe who heals the brokenhearted. As a fearful human with a finite perspective, I will naturally struggle with discouragement...I have a God who holds the destiny of the universe in His hands. He will have the final say...
I need not fear because I know that this will all pass away. One day God will bring true justice and peace to the earth. Through Jesus Christ, I know I have an inheritance that NOTHING can take away. This is my hope in a world filled with darkness...
So, just a closing thought directed toward my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let's show some grace toward one another. The most important truths to cling to are the truths revealed to us in God-breathed Scripture. Beyond those truths, let's acknowledge that we can have different opinions about whether Donald Trump should have been elected president or not...and that's okay. Not all those who voted for him liked everything about him. Christian liberty allows for different opinions on these things. Let's keep showing love and deference toward our brothers and sisters in Christ on these matters. We need the support of one another in the church in these uncertain times.
So, let's move forward with our eyes on Christ and our hope fully grounded in Him. Let's keep seeking to advance God's kingdom. After all, that's where our ultimate citizenship lies.
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