Riots, Protests and George Floyd
This year has been a bit of a mess so far. We all feel the effects of a National shut down all the way to our souls. It has affected each of us differently, we each have our own story of how we have dealt with it or not. Some people react to pain outwardly some stuff it all down deep inside and let it build.
When pain is stuffed or situations keep us from dealing with it, seeing resolve to the pain causing issue, it builds like an ocean wave waiting to crash on the shore or our life at some point. When that wave has built up for a long period of time the crash can be devastating as emotions run amuck.
That explosion isn’t necessarily wrong but it’s mostly ineffective to create any lasting change. It just relieves the pressure. While I have been silent about the death of George Floyd and now the madness of rioting across this nation, it has not been for lack of anything to say or a sign I don’t care. My silence is because I care too deeply to let my emotions react in a wrong way as to cause any more pain. I’ve pondered instead….taking it all in.
When I think of the incredible pain inside of a people kidnapped from their nation and enslaved in ours, my mind reals against such injustice. Even in gaining their freedom, they had to fight to exercise that freedom against a hatred they didn’t deserve. When I think of a people who lived in this country but were driven out of their own land so we could overtake it my heart cries against their plight.
Why are men so evil and self-serving…? Genesis 6:5 tells us “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” The human heart apart from a relationship with the Lord is bent toward evil. Our nature is selfish.
While I understand the outcry of a hurting people over a senseless death, to destroy our nation brings nothing to the table of resolve. It’s a cry for justice yes, but it’s also a fleshly response to the problem. As I was reading today about Elijah in 1 Kings 19, I was struck by something. He had just defeated Jezebel and killed her prophets, but after her threat to his life he found himself in a cave wanting to die.
God speaks to him and says, “What are you doing here Elijah?” He did not need to flee for his life at her threat, reacting from the flesh, he needed to hear from God. God sends a strong wind, an earthquake and a fire, but God is not in any of those. Then after Elijah voices his complaint to God, gets it all off his chest, God speaks in a still small voice…and tells him what to do.
I felt the Lord saying…just like Elijah the rioters are creating a strong wind of protest. An earthquake of anger is tearing apart their very neighborhoods and a fire of hatred is raging against the years of injustice and pain people have endured. BUT God is not in the upheaval of emotions or the destruction. God is trying to speak; he has an answer, but his voice cannot be heard amidst the turmoil. We must be still to hear it, leaning in for his whispers that will heal our land.
New laws will not fix the problem, reform to the Police Force will not bring the needed change, ONLY revival in the human heart can do that. Only God can change the human heart. Ephesians 6:12 tells us “Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.” It’s not people we should fight but Satan himself behind the people causing the issues.
We must as a Church stop and listen for Gods voice. What is he saying IN what is happening? But we will not hear him if we are too busy shaking our heads at the problem and not on our knees listening for his voice. We must cry out in intercession for his solutions, his answers to the outcry of the hurting. Prayer is our number one weapon and then when Gods spirit gives us a solution to implement, then when we do it, we will get the results we want to see.
My heart has been breaking for the non-existent voice of the church of Jesus Christ in this hour! We desperately need the church to unify, to be the triumphant church we are called to be. Why are we afraid to be a voice and stand to fight? Why are we not rising up and being the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world?
We must be on our knees with open ears and broken hearts for injustice to hear him. We must unite to bring a solution to the hurting all around us. We must have HIS heart in this and not our own opinion hyped up by a sensationally driven media, or our own broken biased thinking. Until there is an Awakening in the Church the world will not change. It starts with us. We are the change agents the Lord desires to use. We must love without bias, see only people not color, and repent without hypocrisy. Will you listen for his voice in this critical hour of human history?
Father…our hearts are broken for the brokenness in this world. Our hearts are crying out to you for answers, for change, for revival. Help us to quiet our souls and listen for your voice. Help us to lay aside our opinions and seek your solutions. I bind up the spirit of hatred and violence that has infiltrated the hearts and minds of so many and ask that your Holy Spirit would bring awakening to the Church, open our eyes to see what is happening behind the scenes in the spiritual realm and not just what is on the surface. Show us your glory Lord…bring revival and awakening to this nation in Jesus name.