"If My People..."

A friend shared some terrible news with us a few days ago.  It took place over in Pakistan.  The video showed a young, teenage girl ripped off her wheelchair into the street, by the Pakistani police.  She was one of the many protesters, merely stating their view and feelings amid the unrest and political violence taking place there.  The video showed the police dragging her by one arm along the street, she was lame and could not walk.  One young girl amid many, many police, as if she was a dangerous criminal, out to harm people.

I do not know her fate after being dragged away, for speaking her mind and protesting against, what certainly looks like, a violent outbreak of brutality by the government, itself.  I pray God has her in His arms and protects her young life.  I do know this tyranny is taking place more and more, all over the world.

Here in the United States, we have been experiencing some of that same sort of tyranny, for the last couple of years.  We used to be "Home of the brave, Land of the free."  That's not really true anymore.  It seems to be less and less true with each passing month.  We are being bombarded with disease, illnesses, homelessness, discord and hatred.  There's rampant murder and drugs being spread all over.  No place is safe now, not the best or the worst of neighborhoods.  Inflation is skyrocketing,  it's down-right scary to go buy groceries or anything else for that matter.  To top all of that, we have thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens crossing our borders, in search of freedom and a better way of life.  In truth, we have nothing for them!  They will only be adding to the homelessness, starvation, lawlessness and disease here in America.

I told my friend, I wanted to address that video of the girl being dragged away by the police, in this blog.  It hurt my friend's heart to watch it and it hurts mine as well.  I had to pray for some answers to come to me, to share them.  Some light on the matter, some hope for a better day on the way, instead of impending global war.

Amidst all of the aforementioned conditions here, I must admit, I don't feel there is any president, congressman or political party anywhere, able to bring about the changes our world is so in need of.

I know there's nothing new under the sun.  Tyranny, and war have been around since Moses's day.  Jesus fought the devil, himself, in the desert.  He overcame the serpent by quoting the Word to him, Matthew 4:1 - 11.  In fighting our daily battles, Jesus says in John 6: 63, "The words I speak unto you are Spirit and they are life."  If God's Word is sufficient for Jesus to use in battle, then it would definitely behoove us to Know it better.  It is our Sword.  As Christians, we need to be using it as spiritual bullets, hurled at the enemy.

The story of the walls of Jericho, is a good illustration of how God brought about deliverance to His people with no violence, just by obedience and Praise to Him, Joshua 6: 1 - 27.  Praise will always get God's attention.  He inhabits our praise!  We don't always feel like praising Him.  But when we " do it anyway," He grabs ahold of it and brings it Alive to us, and then we feel His presence.  He loves for us to love Him out loud, unabashed.  Who wouldn't?  Yes, Praise Will get God's attention!  It's in His Word, repeated over and over like we do for our children; approximately 6, 160 times in the Old Testament, 692 times in the new.  I'd put Praise near the top of the list to get in contact with God.

In Psalms 46, it tells us, God is our strength and refuge, a very Present help in trouble.  But the most important message I have found, to me, is 11 Chronicles 7:14, "If My People who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land."

Jesus never changes.  Psalms 118: 15 - 27 says, "He is the stone the builders rejected, which has become the Cornerstone.  Salvation is found in no one else."  He is the same God, who parted the red sea for the Israelites.  He is coming back to get His church, His people.  I have heard quite a few folks say, "Jesus has been coming back for how many thousands of years now?"  Yes, that's true.  But look around you, war and famine everywhere, no peace anywhere.  It's hard to tell what season we are in more and more.  He gave us the signs for when our redemption draws near.  Yeah, He's been coming back for a long time.  Which also means we've had a long time to make things right, but we have yet to get them right.

Amidst all this terrible turmoil we are seeing, I am holding on to God's Word and Jesus.  I see nothing else to hold on to.  Jesus says in Luke 21: 28, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near."  You know, it's true, because even the lounges and bars have,"Last Call."

Charlotte Ann