Recently I read the story of a woman who had an extremely irate response to an on-line discussion about a Christmas tree display at the local library.She seemingly had no understanding of the Christian faith. This was not a discussion of a nativity, but a generic Christmas tree. My heart was saddened to learn that there are people in our country that have no basic understanding of our Christian faith and yet are very antagonized by the thought that Christians might want to share their faith with others.
The story went on to say that this woman ranted on social media, using profane language, over the supposed religious symbolism of the Christmas tree being foisted upon the public if the tree were to be displayed in the library. Her day job was a position on the local Human Rights Commission and because she dealt with the Christmas tree subject so poorly and so publicly the Commission felt it had to dismiss her.
We see churches and organizations who send missionaries throughout the world to teach the Good News, yet we have so many people here in the United States that are completely in the dark about His love.
What beauty and love we see from God in His own testimony to Moses. “Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness, maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.” Exodus 34:6.
How can we not be sharing this great love and grace with our neighbors, fellow workers, volunteers, friends, and club members? Somehow, we missed telling this woman and probably many others. Non-believers seem to think they are in charge of the world, and think they can fix it. But we as Christians understand that God is in charge of the world and only He can fix us.
If we follow what the world promotes rather than living as Jesus taught us we will be in great trouble. All we have to do is go back and read about the problems in the Bible that created great upheaval and even death to understand where our country appears to be heading if we don’t revere God.
Read about the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah brought on by their sin. Or, how about the sins that caused God to destroy everything on earth by the flood except those in the Ark? Later we see the Hebrews ready to head into the promised land where they end up tangling with Moabite women and 24,000 Hebrews died in one day by a plague because of God’s disapproval. Sin is a problem – mankind’s main problem because it keeps us from the love of our Father God.
So, what are we to do? We must go and tell everyone about our gracious God and the saving blood of Jesus Christ His son. How will they know if they are not told. We have our country going astray from God’s Word and just to remind us all of the consequences, the last part of the verse wherein God is speaking to Moses says, “Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
God tells us He will not leave the guilty unpunished. If we are indeed to love our enemies, we do not pray for their punishment but for their hearts to be changed to understand the love of God Almighty.
God is seeking for each of His children to be a witness to His love and forgiveness. In this day of angry responses to simple discussions it behooves us to have a soft answer. (Proverbs 15:1). It is senseless to take part in any discussion where the voices are raised to out-shout the opposing side.
We cannot shout someone into the Kingdom of God, but we can ask God to touch hearts in a way we cannot. God has always presented the plan of salvation with love. Each person must choose for themselves to be part of God’s family or choose to go the way of the world.
So, for 2023 let us be a great witness for our Father’s kingdom. Let us lift many in prayer and let us not be a part of the angry arguments because God says, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Proverb 14:29. Can I get a witness?
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
