Growing Together – Day 9: Peace
READ: Acts 1:8 – “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
READ: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Paragraph 2 - The Declaration of Independence
I am afraid in our current climate that politics may be one of those things that jeopardizes our peace. Even now you may be triggered by a pastor quoting the Declaration of Independence and afraid that what’s coming next is that uncomfortable cocktail of patriotism and Christianity – fear not. This post isn’t really about politics – it’s about our primary mission as Christ-followers.
REFLECT: In a section of his book, What’s So Great About Christianity, Dinesh D’Souza writes: “When Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of independence that “all men are created equal” he claimed this was a self-evident truth. But it is not evident at all. Indeed, most cultures throughout history, and even today, reject the proposition.” D’Souza goes on to say that these truths were only self-evident to Jefferson and the colonists because of the massive Christian revival that had swept the colonies in the mid-1700’s. It is called in the history books ‘The First Great Awakening.” It shaped the people and the people shaped the government. About one hundred years later came a second wave of revival, called “The Second Great Awakening,” and out of that revival of Christianity came the Abolitionist movement which led the fight to abolish slavery in the United States. It shaped the people and the people shaped the government.
We are called to be Jesus’ witnesses. That is our mission. That is our calling. When we are diligent in our primary calling, should God choose to give us favor, our neighbors and communities will be changed by God. That change of hearts will be reflected in the laws proposed and the leaders elected. It does not work the other way around!
PRAY: Let’s pray for revival. Let’s pray for courage to be His witnesses. Let’s pray for the peace that comes from knowing our mission. Let’s pray that the Good News of Christ would be communicated effectively. Let’s pray for God’s blessing in its reception.