Never Apologize

 

9/27/2020

Luke 9:57 “Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.”

I am at once very encouraged and also discouraged. Yesterday, there was a prayer march on Washington. Two different high profile faith leaders were moved to organize this event on the same day. It is the first event of this kind since Covid-19, the protests, and the ugly divisive political melee mixed together to form a toxic national stew.

There was a sea of believers on the Mall, praying alongside each other for healing in our land and a return to God. There was prayer for repentance, mercy, and for our government. There was prayer for people of God to rise up in truth and be heard. All of this was powerful and inspiring. Yet when I did some research on how the television media was covering the March, I could not find a single outlet that mentioned it at all. Therein lies my discouragement. Maybe there was coverage by the mainstream media, but I could not find it. I only found one article in a secular newspaper, The Washington Post. As my son so wisely said this evening when I was lamenting this, “It does not fit the current narrative.” Oh how right he is. The media wants the opposite of faith, they want us all to operate in the other f-word, fear. The media wants to manipulate our thinking, and hence puts forth a narrative to that end.

As I have stated before, some form of “fear not” is in the Bible 365 times. Coincidence? Of course it isn’t. God wants us to trust Him in all things, for He has already conquered the world. As believers, we have relinquished our voices in this din of hatred. We stay largely silent because it is easier, especially during this already difficult time. We often accept the insidious watering down and manipulation of God’s Holy Word. There has certainly been a slow boiling pot of acquiescence and silencing through the mantra of tolerance. As believers, we are called to love others with mercy and grace, not tolerate them. This also devalues the Gospel of Christ. Chambers writes, “Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to hurt and offend. Jesus Christ has not tenderness whatsoever toward anything that is ultimately going to ruin a man in the service of God.” Again, these words may sound harsh, but there is eternal truth in them. Jesus became the bridge between man and God. People had no say in that transaction, it was a gift that was freely given. Hence when we accept that most precious of gifts, we accept all that comes with it, viz. honoring and adhering to the Holy Word of God.

For such a time as this, dear ones, let us not water down the word of God, but stand on it as a firm foundation. Let us not be manipulated or silenced by those who do not stand on faith, but let us rise up and be heard in truth and love. As I heard a speaker say yesterday during a live stream of the March, we are all only one heartbeat away from eternity. Let us use every one of the beats we have left for Jesus.