Eugene Peterson wrote, “When disaster strikes, it is the task of the prophet to stand up at such moments and clarify who God is and how He acts. If the prophet is good—that is, accurate and true—the disaster becomes a lever for prying people’s lives loose from their sins and setting them free for God.”
I love this! I feel like it describes where we as the church need to be amid our country’s calamity. Instead of neglecting God’s authority, we need to unite in love and speak truth. If we aren’t doing this, then of course fear and hatred will have pre-eminence in our country, causing widespread alienation.
Hollywood likes to portray the end of the world through alien invasions and zombie apocalypses, but I believe the end of the world as we know it will look a lot different. Decades ago, I read a book that theorized the time would come when the world would be divided into two opposing camps or trains of thought. When this climate of widespread division existed, then it would be a small thing to incite opposing factions into attacking one another until we experienced a full-blown apocalypse.
It seems like on a lot of levels, our country is currently facing this reality. There is a divisive spirit being released throughout this nation and Earth right now. It’s so vehement and obvious, yet people seem to have forgotten we’re not wrestling against each other. We’re battling against spiritual forces (Eph. 6:12).
I believe if we prayed like Elisha did in 2 Kings 6:17, we could have eyes to see and ears to hear the very real forces that whisper lying innuendos. The angels might tell us that the goal of these principalities, powers and rulers of wickedness in high places is to divide the whole world into two camps and then cause those two camps to meet on battlefields. A house (or country) divided can’t stand. And the truth is, no matter which camp we choose, we’re all at risk if we don’t turn back to God.
As the church, it’s time to raise our voice in love. It’s time to heal, dream, build, pray and remember our nation’s legacy. Democrat or Republican, black, brown or white, we can and need to respect one another. We need to hit our knees rather than pick up stones. Let’s focus on cultivating unity instead of sowing into a spirit of division. Let’s reflect God’s love to a hurting nation and remember it is in God we trust. He reigns without rival. {eoa}
Lisa Bevere is an international speaker, best-selling author, and co-founder of Messenger International. In her transparent style, Lisa shares God’s Word woven with personal experiences to empower lives with freedom and transformation. Her heart breaks over social injustice. As an advocate for change, she rallies others to be an answer to desperate problems near and far. Lisa begins her days with mochas and ends them laughing around the dinner table. Lisa lives in Colorado Springs with the love of her life, author and speaker John Bevere, and their family.
