State of Emergency
I’m not sure about you, but this past week was extremely emotional for me. The deaths of Terence Crutcher (Tulsa, OK) and Keith Lamont Scott (Charlotte, NC) and the events to follow reignited feelings of grief, anger, frustration, and helplessness. I’m grieved because of the senseless violence and the many lives that have been lost as a result of “fear,” racial profiling, failed protocol, and hate. I’m angry because of the excuses people continue to make to justify such horrific, inhumane acts, and the insensitive comments people have made on social media and other news media outlets. I’m frustrated by the fact that these types of events have become all too common, and those who commit such crimes suffer little to no consequences. To top it all off, I feel helpless. I often think to myself, “What can I possibly do to affect change?” So many people have gone before me and the voices of those crying out in this day and age seem to continuously go unheard.
Despite feeling helpless, I did something that I know has the power to affect change – pray. In that time of prayer, I began to think about the overall state of this world, and consequently found myself pondering several harsh realities…
We live in a world filled with systemic racism, inequality, and injustice. We live in a world where millions are oppressed, enslaved, and impoverished. We live in a world overtaken by greed, lust, and corruption. We live in a world divided by religious and political discord. We live in a world suffering from terrorism, violence, and hate. And sadly we live in a country whose pledge ends with “liberty and justice for all,” but history and reoccurring events such as those mentioned above have forced me to believe that some terms and conditions apply.
The list goes on and on, but the ultimate truth is that we live in a world filled with sin. This world is in a state of emergency and in desperate need of a Savior. Fortunately, I know someone who has the power to save and died so that we may overcome sin. His name is Jesus, and He is our hope!
I am convinced that when we accept Jesus as our Savior and allow Him to reign in our hearts, we are no longer slaves to sin. Our lives are transformed and become outward expressions of our love for God (2 Corinthians 5:17). We begin to think like Him, walk like Him, and talk like Him. We begin to love unconditionally and show grace and compassion to others. We begin to bear the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). The things that break His heart, begin to break ours, spurring our desire to be solutions to the problems which plague our world. We become living vessels of love, hope, and faith, counteracting the effects of sin and increasing others’ hunger and thirst for the things of God.
How exciting is is that we get to play a role in God’s plan and be the source of light in such a dark world! John 1:5 states, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” I’m not sure how you felt after reading that verse, but it gave me hope. It reassures me that with Jesus at work in us and though us, we have the power to overcome sin and outshine the darkness of this world.
As I end this post, I invite you to pray this prayer with me…
Lord, we come before you today lifting this world up to you and asking for grace and mercy. We thank you for your forgiveness and ask that you help us to turn away from our sins. We pray that your love would penetrate our hearts and empower us to walk in love and show compassion towards one another. Lord, we thank you for giving us wisdom and strategy to bring about effective change and ask that you give us the courage to do whatever it is you instruct us to do in this season. We bind the spirit of hate, violence, and division and loose love, peace, and unity into this earth. Thank you for your presence which brings peace, hope, and strength in the midst of pain and chaos. We place our hope in you and trust that you are in control. Shine your light through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Be encouraged,
Imanne