Lesson from Africa

I’m reading the FCA Devotional for Athletes and Coaches as my daily devotional right now. It was a book I picked up earlier this week at the Billy Graham Library in lovely Charlotte, NC. {Take a tour sometime if you’re able!}

One of the devotions jumped out at me. The author stated, “There’s a place in Africa where the world is split in two.” I thought that sentiment captured the current mood of the United States right now. With the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on legalizing gay marriage, the whirlwind of anti-Christendom has begun. By that statement, I mean that those people who stand in support of one man and one woman entering the marriage covenant are being referred to as haters, bigots, dogmatists, hypocrites, die-hards and everything else of negative connotation that I can currently think of.

I don’t understand why equality seems to pertain mostly to those outside of Christendom. Rainbow lights on our White House, the people’s house? Ok...Then let’s be equal and fair in every way possible – let’s have a day for everyone. Of all self-identified or birth lineages. Let’s have a Democrat day, a Republican day, a Libertarian day, a Caucasian day, an African American day, a Hispanic/Latino day, a Christian day, and an Atheist day, and so forth. After all, it’s not tolerant or acceptable to show preferentialism and favoritism is it? It’s certainly not tolerant in today’s politically correct atmosphere.

Let me get back to Africa – more specifically, the equator. The north of it, water flows clockwise, to the south of it, water flows counter-clockwise. And, get this, if you’re standing ON the equator’s line, water doesn’t flow at all.

It seems to me, that we can compare this to our Christian journey. I believe it’s important to recognize within ourselves if we’re flowing AWAY from God’s Word. From His commandments. My husband, whom I greatly respect, said this, “The commandments don’t change because society changes. Our relationship with Jesus is what evolves – not God’s omnipotent design.”

Question to Ask Ourselves: Am I so caught up in things and events around me that I’ve lost my focus on what’s most important? Our personal relationship with Christ Jesus should guide us, convict us, lead us, and sustain us, and it WILL do those things –if we allow Him, through grace, to do so.

I liked the closing prayer on page 88 of the devotional book referenced earlier. It reads as follows –

“Heavenly Father, we are constantly surrounded by people who each have their opinions on our performance and abilities. Please change our frame of mind to see those around us as people who need YOUR love. May we compete with boldness and excellence, and in turn, bring all glory and honor to You. Amen.”

My personal desire is that ALL will come to live happily in the knowledge of salvation through the Cross. My identity is founded in Christ, and Him alone. I don’t lift myself up above anyone of any creed whether comparable or dissimilar to my own. I dream of a world where ALL people live in peace and prosperity. Where people treat each other with kindness. Where abuse is non-existent. Where animals are loved and humanely treated. Where there’s no need for cancer centers. Alzheimer’s was cured. Where hospitals became extinct because people are healthy.  Where all people lived by the “Golden Rule.” I long to see people in unity, through God.

I would love to see everyone accept God’s gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of His only Son. Sadly, God will continue to be rejected and those who serve Him as fully as possible, will be considered “outcasts” in society.

The longer I serve Him, the more undeserving of His blessings, I know I am. In the meantime...

Let’s look UP friends!

Malachi 3:6King James Version (KJV)

⁶ For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.