We desperately need healing in our nation. Historians, Statesmen, and even our Lord Jesus have pointed out that division precedes destruction. A nation divided, like a house divided, shall soon fall. A look back in history shows us that the greatest danger to a thriving nation is internal division and strife. Ancient Rome was one of the greatest nations the world has known, controlling most of the civilized world of its day. Civilization flourished and stretched its influence across Asia, Europe, and Africa. But the soul of the nation became corrupt. Division, strife, intrigue, assassination, and disunity weakened the resolve of the people. Moral decay left a nation that had once been a nation of laws and nationalistic spirit a giant with a weakened will to fight. When Rome fell, the Dark Ages ensued.
There are several touch points in our nation that should give us pause. There is a radical element that has risen inciting protests, disobedience, violence, and even anarchy. This has been highly publicized, perhaps even with a favorable slant in the media, to the point that the greater portion of the public has chosen sides. Polarization has occurred and continues to do so as greater focus is given to the “protests” and little effort seems to be taking place to move in the direction of reconciliation. This is madness. At the very least it threatens our position in the world as a just and compassionate “leading nation”. At the worst, and it is a plausible worst, it threatens our security as a nation founded “under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.
I have been praying for our nation, asking God for healing and for guidance. It has been my experience that God will guide our prayers when we offer them up in faith. Last week as I was seeking the Lord’s face, I sensed that I needed to pray for empathy… for myself and for people across this land. We need to gain a perspective of the issues we are arguing about from the other side’s point of view. As I have done so, I have seen an interesting thing happen within my heart. Instead of perceiving all the protestors in a totally negative light, I can begin to see them as human beings with real hurts, fears, and concerns… people a lot like me. People who have not had the same life experiences as me, therefore they do not have the same worldview. We live in the same pluralistic nation, but we see it differently. The only way for us to coexist is for us to have a large degree of compassion for one another that isn’t predicated upon our belief system, our political views, our skin color, our gender… upon the differences between us.
Our differences do not have to divide us. We have always had differences in this nation. Our nation was founded as 13 distinct and highly autonomous colonies. They had major differences. Our constitution is indeed a marvelous document written to forge a single nation of these distinctly different states. It leaves significant room for the different expression of beliefs and values of the people while establishing a foundation of law and joining us as a single nation. And we have persevered as a nation for over 240 years, through good and bad times, with strong dissention and disunity on occasion, with a civil war and many periods of internal turmoil. But we have remained one, united nation. Not uniform, but united. I take four things from this high-level view of our history. 1) There is an enemy, a spiritual enemy whose tool is strife and division, who wants this nation to fall. 2) There is a spiritual protector whose tool is love and compassion, who wants this nation to exist and succeed. 3) There has been, and I believe still is, a divine reason for this nation in the world. 4) It is incumbent upon followers of God to seek His guidance, wisdom, and help in healing this land and fulfilling the purpose for this nation. 2 Chronicles 7:14 are the key verse that we, the Church should be heeding. “if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
As the Church, as people who have been rescued by Jesus’ love, as people who once were enemies of God through our sin and disobedience, we should be taking the lead in seeking reconciliation and healing. Our first step is prayer. Our second step is empathy. We need to open the dialogue with people with whom we disagree. We need to hear their perspective. We should work toward understanding why they believe what they believe. And we should understand why we believe what we believe as well. The Prayer of Saint Francis is a good model.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
What I am proposing is not the easy thing to do. It is counter to the current mood portrayed in images on our TV screens and computer monitors. It is not aligned with the ever-increasing rhetoric I am seeing in social media. But as I seek the Father’s heart, it seems to be aligned with what the Spirit is whispering to me… “Blessed are the peacemakers…” “Love covers a multitude of sins…” “You will know them by their love…”
Friends, please join me in praying for healing in our nation. And follow that up by asking the Lord to provide opportunities to engage others in civil discussion. Seek to understand their perspective. And ask the Lord to help you understand, and when appropriate, articulate your point of view. While the media may continue to highlight the strife, let us humbly and quietly seek the common ground, the healing, and uniting that I believe the Lord desires. When we do, we will also see doors open for the Gospel to be shared and God will get the glory.
Be blessed today. And be a blessing.
areliablefaith 
Leave a Reply