I'm becoming more convinced that what we read and who we listen to shapes our views and opinions. We can have a similar world view, Biblical world view, and still disagree strongly with other Christians. Our nation is becoming more politicized and divided, not only between non-Christians and Christians, but between Christians, in small groups at church, and in lunch conversations with friends.
Some of the sources I choose to listen to are encouraging me to appreciate the checks and balances we have in government, to believe God is working for good in our nation and that statistics show some beliefs that are sacred to God's people aren't backed up by facts.
I am pro-life and very interested in seeing abortion eradicated in this nation. I was surprised to learn that abortion rates have been declining in the nation since it's peak in 1981. (statista.com) That doesn't mean we stop fighting against abortion, and I believe the decline is partly because of state laws that restrict it, so we can make a difference at a state level. This is one heated debate that has driven voters in recent elections. I also realize the importance of other issues and stances of our leaders. I pray for an end to abortion, whether through policy changes, reversed court decisions, elected leaders who will bring change, or the heart of our nation valuing all human life, including the life of the unborn.
Most recently I've been reading about and listening to Christian voices speaking about Nationalism. Extremist views expressed breeds more extremism. Where do we as Christians give our allegiance? I think we'd all agree that our first allegiance is to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom here on earth. Can we love our nation and still acknowledge that our nation has flaws? While we are the strongest and wealthiest nation on earth, should we say that we are the greatest nation? What about citizens of other nations who love their home? Would we let them claim to be the greatest nation?
I listened to the podcast Good Faith today on the subject of Christian Nationalism. David French gave me a new perspective. 1619 brought a spirit of dominance and oppression to our nation---fact. 1776 brought a different spirit, of equality for all and a constitution that works for justice and liberty for all. The conflict of belief about our nation's history is caught between both those spirits and stories. I pray God's people will be salt and light to bring the message of freedom in Christ that will turn hearts towards the value and worth of every human life in our country so that 1619 is our past history and 1776 is our destiny.
I heard a believer criticize our government for caring more about Ukranian borders right now than our own borders and the immigration problem. I want to care for both. The whole world will be affected by what happens to the borders of Ukraine. My heart hurts for them in this moment.
May God help us all to get to know his heart for our current culture and how to wield the weapons he's given us to fight the darkness we see. The weapons I see in the New Testament are praise and worship, prayer, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and his love that breaks down barriers and brings a sinner to repentance by kindness. Hatred, disdain for the other side, a "us vs. them" mentality and fear of what may come is not the way God has called us to live. We have a higher calling and the most powerful name to trust in for overcoming. And a mandate to make disciples of Jesus. That should take all of our focus, energy and devotion. I'm always challenged by Jesus' response to his disciples when they find him talking to the woman at the well in John 4. When they are concerned that he hasn't had food to eat, he says that his food is to do the will of the Father and to finish the work the Father has given him. Have you ever had such an intense focus on a project or task that you lost track of time and mealtime didn't matter? Would that there were times I am led by the Spirit to share the good news so that eating would be forgotten.
Lord, bring unity to your church. Bring a fresh move of your Spirit that would bring revival and repentance. Our ongoing hope is in you.
From the Good Faith podcast:
C.S. Lewis writes, in his book, The Four Loves, about a love of country compared to love of origins, our homes. Lewis says that a love of country can lead to a “particular attitude to our country’s past” that has “not quite such good credentials as the sheer love of home.” We need to understand our full history. “The actual history of every country is full of shabby and even shameful doings … The heroic stories,” Lewis writes, “if taken to be typical, give a false impression of it and are often themselves open to serious historical criticism.”
Holding, as Lewis goes on, a “firm, even prosaic belief that our own nation, in sober fact, has long been, and still is markedly superior to all others... “can produce asses that kick and bite.” “On the lunatic fringe,” Lewis warned, “It may shade off into that popular Racialism which Christianity and science equally forbid.”
