“Repentance is not being sorry for the things you have done, but being sorry you are the kind of person that does such things” Anonymous
Considering the horrific and tragic event in Uvalde, Texas this week, I am longing to be together with all of you this Sunday to worship, pray, and be encouraged in and by your presence. I will not be able to, as I am in North Carolina celebrating the marriage of one of our church members.
The Lord has been pressing, however, a message to me that I desperately want to share with you all. As I think about the pandemic, the racial divisions, the economic worries and the increasing real threat of nuclear war, my heart continues to hear God ask “What’s it going to take for my people to humble themselves and repent?”
Our world is in turmoil. We are increasingly living with events that are out of our control many of which we are told could have catastrophic consequences for our lives and even humanity. We are told we have a climate crisis, a mental health crisis, a gun violence crisis, a Fentanyl crisis, a border crisis, and I could go on.
I suddenly realized how much our world needs another Dr. King or Dr. Graham who can speak to our Nation and call us to repent and pray.
All I hear from our news media is blame, politics and manmade strategies.
God gave the people of Israel a 4-step formula to turn to when national catastrophe’s come. It is found in 2 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Could it be any more clear? As God’s people, our King is waiting on us to….
- Humble ourselves. In Celebrate Recovery, as in all recovery programs, the first step is to humble yourself. This is done by simply admitting “I Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable." When will we as a culture realize this simple truth about ourselves and our world? Politicians and political parties aren’t the answer. More money isn’t the answer. God is the answer. So we begin by being reminded that we can’t fix ourselves, or our world, but God can! God loves us and the world he created and wants to rescue us from the murderous days we are living in.
- Pray. I have said this before the average person in America that calls themselves a Christian prays about 4-5 minutes per day. I think we all may need to get honest with ourselves and admit that we don’t really believe in prayer. Prayer is our last resort. Prayer is what we do when we can’t do anything else. And even then we just shout out a frustrated request, often not really believing much will happen. Jesus often linked prayer with fasting. I believe it is time we as God’s people returned to prayer and fasting. The Board has been offering two times for prayer on Sunday mornings to seek God regarding the significant decisions we are facing as a church. To date, we haven’t even seen 5 people come to pray, and often, the Board members have been alone. We can do better. We can believe better and as we learn to pray we will see what God can do!
- Seek His face. My friend Richard Lee reminds me often that “we should not pray as if God is not in the room”. How often do you seek God’s face? Not God’s blessings and gifts but His face, His presence. How much of our prayer time is spent listening for God as opposed to pleading for our desires? How often as we come for worship are we seeking God’s face?
- Turn from our wicked ways. It is time to admit that we are responsible. It is time to stop blaming and start owning our part. What do you need to turn from today? It could be turning away from your dependence on things to medicate your own fears and pains like alcohol, drugs and pornography or it could be turning away from your striving to have the “perfect life” or it could be turning away from your apathy and unwillingness to take up your cross and make disciples who will transform the world.
When Jesus returns, I don’t believe he will be looking for how politically astute his people are, or how engaged in social causes his people are. Jesus will look to see how committed we have been to obey his final command to us to make disciples of all people. And we must reach into the lives of the least and the lost. Every time one of these tragedies occurs, I wonder, if only some disciple of Jesus would have figured out a way to love this person, what would have happened? I know we can’t be everywhere and touch everyone, but are we touching anyone anywhere with the love of God?
As I said earlier I long to be with you this Sunday because when you are hurting you want to be with family and Oakdale Church is family. You will be in good hands this weekend and I have asked for some special time to pray together. Please join with your church family this weekend to pray. God’s Word reminds to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) Let’s decide today that the tragedy of Uvalde is what it finally took and let’s watch what God will do!
Your brother and friend,
Pastor Kevin