PLUS

Galatians 2:11-13 “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles:  but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabus also was carried away with their dissimulation.”

Acts 11:1-3, 17-18 “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them … Foreasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

Acts 15:7-11 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Racism and prejudice appeared in the early Christian church.  This shameful bias raised its ugly head even among the apostles as they wrestled with Gentiles coming to salvation through Christ.  Fortunately, the truths of God’s universal love quickly won the day!

God’s love through Christ sees no boundaries between people.  He puts no distinction between us and other believers who may be different than us.  He loved the world so much that He gave His Son to pay the sacrifice for all.

Equality was God’s design through creation – God made a choice among us that all should hear the word of the gospel and believe.  It is His universal gift to a creation made in His image.  Who are we to withstand God’s plan?  Who are we to tempt God? 

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO SHOW THE POWER OF GOD’S UNIVERSAL LOVE THROUGH OUR WITNESS AND THROUGH OUR FELLOWSHIP. When you see someone different than you, remember this one important truth – in God’s creation there is no difference between us and them.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou comest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

II Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Based on the social, political, and historical context of the day in which we live, we are seeing a phenomenon that is unprecedented in Twenty-first Century America – a laser-like focus on the precious value of life and the well-being of even the most feeble among us.  Daily we see tallies of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, with the latter being dominated by those with weakened underlying health conditions.  It is as if we have been awakened to the fragility of life, and the importance of genuine care and concern for every single human being.

The value of life has not changed since 2019.  It has been a precious gift of God throughout human history.  It is valuable regardless of whether your life is characterized by infirmity or vitality, invalidity or athleticism, ignorance or intellectualism.  It is worthy of the deepest concern, whether you are old or young, unborn or born, feeble or vibrant.  If anything, God has placed a special premium on those who modern society has often neglected, demeaned, and discarded.

PLEASE PRAY THAT, AS A SOCIETY, WE WOULD PERMANENTLY INTERNALIZE THE CRITICAL LESSON THAT EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS.  At some point a running tally of the deaths of the weakest among us will be removed from regular public view.  Even then, may we as a society remember the important lesson of early 2020 that life is a precious gift of God that must be valued, esteemed, and protected.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Based on a Biblical understanding of God’s creation, the Declaration of Independence boldly declares the following: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

Though we as a nation have not adequately lived up to these lofty self-evident principles of equality for all, they should chart our course as individuals, communities, and congregations.  Our failures of the past and present should illuminate our path towards the future.

Nearly two years ago, I posted the following thoughts in a post entitled “God’s Image.”  They ring true today more than ever:

“In a world characterized by polarization and division, we are quickly diverging from an important founding pillar – that all men are created equal because all men are created in the image of God.  As such, there is no room for the intolerable hate that often is directed towards those who are different from us.  This is especially true for Christians who are disrespecting our God whenever we treat anyone in a way not characterized with full dignity and respect.  God created each person just as much as He created you.  He loves each person just as much as He loves you.  Your disrespect for others will not separate them from God’s love, but will only separate you from God’s will.”

May Christians lead the way towards the Biblical understanding of equality, dignity, and respect for all people, and away from the ugly stains of bias, discrimination, and hate that plagues our society. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO LEAD TOWARDS A CHANGED SOCIETY THAT TREATS ALL PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.  God’s image is reflected in each and every person.  May we treat everyone with a firm understanding that all men are created equal.

The following link will take you to “God’s Image”:  https://prayatlunch.us/gods-image/

Matthew 22:36-40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

I Timothy 1:1-2 “I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

The following is a slightly modified version of a message I sent to my deployed organization yesterday:

“Team,

You are undoubtedly tracking the painful news from home regarding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the nationwide unrest that has followed.  I can only describe it as heartbreaking.

It is heartbreaking that our nation continues to struggle with severe problems of discrimination, bias, and inequality.  It is heartbreaking that these problems are sometimes manifested in the actions of our public and community servants.  It is heartbreaking that some have seized upon this situation as an excuse to sow discord and prompt violence.  It is heartbreaking that noble institutions like the police are facing a severe crisis of credibility because of the actions of a few.  It is heartbreaking that our brothers and sisters in arms are facing a political tug of war as they are called upon to take action to support overwhelmed communities.

It makes it all the more heartbreaking that we are away from our homes and our families at such a time as this.  It is heartbreaking that this situation provides ample ammunition to our adversaries.  It is heartbreaking that we here struggle to determine what we can do about it.

Here is what we can do!  We can reach out to our friends and families and remind them how much we love and appreciate them.  We can commit ourselves to fostering an environment within our organization that is characterized by dignity and respect for all people.  We can demonstrate those characteristics and that environment to our host nation through our words and our actions.  We can explain to our hosts that we are an imperfect nation that strives to be known for upholding its amazing founding values, but that sometimes falls short.  We can stress to those with whom we interact that justice will be served in Minneapolis and that this turmoil will prompt much-needed discussion throughout our communities as we seek to better live up to those founding values.  We can pray for our nation, for our communities, and for our leaders.

Please know that I am committed to fostering an organization that is truly characterized by dignity and respect for all people.  If you see us falling short of those principles in any way, please let me know immediately.  In the meanwhile, I am proud to serve alongside of you.”

PLEASE PRAY FAITHFULLY AND FERVENTLY FOR OUR NATION, FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, AND FOR OUR LEADERS.

Job 42:10 “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

Job 42:12-13 “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:  for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.  He had also seven sons and three daughters.”

Ecclesiastes 7:8 “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

Job experienced the depths of the human condition.  He faced death, disease, and discouragement.  He endured loneliness, abandonment, and isolation.  Yet, through a life of faithfulness to the Lord and a focus on God, he prevailed.  In fact, he thrived, ending up with twice as much as he had before.

In the first part of 2020, many among us have experienced the depths of the human condition.  Humanity has faced death, disease, and discouragement.  We have endured loneliness, abandonment, and isolation.  Yet, through faithfulness to the Lord and a focus on God, we can prevail. In fact, we can thrive, maybe even ending up with more than we had before.

We must pray along these lines!  We certainly will not get back those loved ones who have perished; neither did Job.  We might not even get back the wealth that has evaporated during these past several months as a result of COVID and our response to it.  Yet, we can receive a spiritual bounty far more valuable than any set of material possessions.  We could see a spiritual revival and renewal in our land that exceeds anything matched in human history.  In that case, the end would be far better than the beginning.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AN AMERICAN REVIVAL AND RENEWAL SO GREAT THAT IT IS UNPRECEDENTED IN HUMAN HISTORY.  The beginning of 2020 has been brutal for humankind.  The miraculous working of God in our land, spurred on by our faithfulness and a heavenly focus, would cause the end to be far better than the beginning.