Post One: Strike 6,000,000 (the world fails us once again)
My first post. Funnily enough I type here after writing down a stream of consciousness on my phone's notes.God literally led me to continue writing on a blog. And so I went where I was led, searched google for blogger and here I am.
Today's date: 07/07/2016
Context: The world or rather social media is reeling in a state of disgust, anger and frustration from the deaths of both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, both dead at the hands of police and both black men. And so the chant continues "Black Lives Matter" but it doesn't seem to be penetrating into the minds of those that need to understand, those within the judicial system, the government with its ability to change laws and then the police officers themselves who are at the front line making snap judgments that can ultimately change lives forever.
Another day in America and another black life gone, and so seemingly you would understand the anger, the disgust, the frustration, the tears. I know for one that I was similarly feeling the same host of feelings including the tears upon seeing the very real reality of these situation through the mobile phone videos that were able to capture these horrific incidents.
The anger indeed crept up again "Why does this keep on happening?" "How are people still defending these clear injustices? As a young British black woman even I can feel the level of racial tension that is beginning to build in the States, the 'us vs them' mentality that has long been the history of race relations in America. This is when God checked me! Yes I love these moments when I just want to wallow in the tide of my emotions or feelings in a particular moment and God tells me 'no'.
As Christians still within this world, it is extremely easy to become caught up in the happenings of the world; the news titles, the hot topics and the political arguments, but then I'm always reminded of the call of scripture to be in the world but not of it.
In that moment God just reminded me that in moments like this, the enemy is using these situations for the worst, to harden people's hearts, and to create strong hatred in the hearts of many Americans, thus working to create a racial divide. The situation likely will worsen, more lives will be taken, and a breaking point will be reached leading to devastation all around. Honestly its the beginning of the end and if we don't check ourselves we will be used as a tool of the enemy's to be sucked into a state of fear and hatred, hating our fellow man because he has a different skin colour than us.
Romans 8:18 "For consider the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the future glory that is to be revealed in us."
In times like this we have to draw ever closer to God, to pray, to love when it's hard, to work towards actionable work that can be done to ease the injustices, but to ultimately not put our hope in man or this world.
Normally when I see people speaking about God within these types of conversations and situations it is either one of two responses. 1) That God really shouldn't be included in these conversations as we need to take real action and stop relying on this 'God' to come and help us. Or 2) That we shouldn't at all be focused/discussing/interested in the things that are happening around us in the world.
But I believe there is a middle ground; whereby we can help and work where we can for the injustices that exist, but at the same time realising the Bible forewarns us of troubles in the world, and tells us to not loose heart or take our eyes off Christ, or to choose to stop loving when it's hard, because that is when we should the most. Yes, we can have a righteous anger about these things, whereby we can "be angry but sin not" (Ephesians 4:26). We must actively work to attempt to improve the bad situations of those around us when we can, to fight for injustices everywhere "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - MLK
"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18) even when we are frustrated, angry or confused, we should take our feelings to the Lord and he will talk to us, calm us and help us to gain that Godly perspective that we need. Remember a solution to such matters like these will not be found in this world, we look to eternity, we rest in Christ and we find our hope in the future glory that is to come.
Don't become a tool for the enemy's work, don't allow the failure of man to make you loose sight of God. For he is there and he cares, he knows what is happening and he tells us to trust him even when we don't understand. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3: 5)
God is a loving God and if he could love us through all our wrongdoing, our sin, our failures that ultimately worked to send Christ to the cross on our behalf and could still love and forgive us (then, now and in the future.) How much more should we then look to love when we could just as easily hate, to forgive when the inner man within us just wants to cast people down as totally irreparable, and not worthy of forgiveness or a second chance: the same second chance in fact that Christ gave and still gives us.
This world is temporary and as Jesus so aptly put it "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
He has already won! The cross over 2,000 years ago shows us that, so let us not fret but rest in the arms of our Saviour.
Let us also band together and act, positively working towards change where it can come.
Love and peace,
Melody.
*sidenote* I'm reminded of the devastating Charleston killings, where in the courtroom the families of those who had been killed, one by one came up to the screen where Dylan Roof was watching and told him "I forgive you." May we share the same strength in being able to do so.
