I just finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. My sister Mandi Jo gave me this book and it is a eye opener to how spoiled we are in the US. This book is an account of an 12 year old (Beah) who is caught up in the Sierra Leone civil war. What this young man and others in his country went through have been a reality for so many African children. I do not doubt God, His goodness, mercy, or love, but sometimes I wonder why them? Why not us? Will the US end up like Sierra Leon or Rwanda if we are continue to "do what is right in our own eyes". How could these countries leadership commit genocide and call it freedom? I question mankind, we will put on concerts call it EarthAid make movies about global warning but what is mainstream America really doing? What is Christian America doing? We seem to be rediscovering things. How to do Church; How to do Evangelism; How to Confront Culture? And we say the answer is in our own opinions, KJV only or anything but the KJV. Hymns from the blue book only or Praise songs only. Ties or no ties, cell groups or Sunday School, Baptist on a church sign or not, close or closed communion, doctrine or no-doctrine, theology or self help? In the grand scheme of things does it matter. Is Rob Bell more in tune than Jerry Falwell than Billy Graham than Mordecai Ham than John Wesley than Jonathan Edwards than Martin Luther than Paul than Isaiah than Moses than Abraham? Do we really think that we are so smart and spiritual as men in this generation that finally after thousands of years we yes we have evolved into super spiritual geniuses? Or is the truth so simple, so pure, so available that we tend to overlook it? I think I do. Jesus equates faith as being childlike. He went to the poor diseased and sinners. His Gospel was laid out to the ordinary man in a way that could be understood and lived by servants, slaves, handicapped to the soldier, Pharisee and politician. as Charlie Brown would say AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.
To see it on paper makes my heart hurt more. It makes me consider my own motives are they convictions from God or opinions that take me away from the task at hand? DO you have the answer?
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
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3 comments:
Bring it! You don't have to be a hipster to be in tune with the One who matters most. I also enjoyed thinking of you with your head tilted back and mouth wide open like Charlie. Good Grief!
I can hear som like patriotic music playing in my mind as i read this blog. Good stuff Bill!!
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It was Traci's book Bill and she cried as she read it. We are really blessed to be here in the US. Just wanted to credit the correct sister.
LOVE MOM
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