My previous post, listed just before this one, is not intended to be some profound answer to the governmental transition that has taken place in our nation. It is not even intended to explain anything about what has just taken place in Washington as if my perspective is the right one or the only one. I wrote it simply to help comfort some saints who may have been allowing their flesh and nerves to get the best of them over this inauguration.
We can’t act like the world. We… can’t join in with the world and create havoc and destruction in the name of lawful protest. People have a right “in this land” to act out their emotions against anybody they will. This doesn’t happen everywhere. (I got arrested in Zimbabwe, Africa for just taking a picture near the president’s palace.)
A pastor’s role involves making sense of difficult situations. This is a difficult situation. So, at times like these, we need sober, God filled words to help calm nerves and unfounded fears as well as bring peace on earth and goodwill towards men. The scriptures declare, blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
If I were to let my emotions get the best of me, I’d be a mess right now and saying things that would simply accentuate my carnality and humanity. I could excite riot in my through unthoughtful commentary about how I feel. So, I choose to put my feelings aside and speak words of peace so as to comfort as many as I can. I say to all of the people who feel a struggle, keep fighting. I say to anyone that believes by law you’ve been wronged, bamboozled and mistreated, keep fighting. But I say to all of the people of God who believe in the rule and righteousness of God and His kingdom you fight too. You fight the good fight of faith and never forget that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
I speak peace, love, and harmony over our nation at this hour. I pray that people will be able to rest peaceably tonight knowing that God truly is in control. He really is. Nothing catches Him off guard.
I do at this hour what Isaiah was told to do at a critical hour in the life of Israel years ago. I read these words and acted on them for us today.
Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God.
‘Be comforted people of God. For real doe’.
—Vaughn McLaughlin