In Support of Marriage--One Man, One Woman

 There is neither Jew nor Greek, 

there is neither slave nor free, 

there is no male and female, 

for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3:28 NIV

Hello Precious Girlfriends!

My post today is going to be a little different than usual. The photo below started me writing a Facebook post this morning that turned into a full page! So I decided to share it here as well because I think the issue is important. So here it is:

As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one,

  there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God^.

 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”

Romans 3:10-12

I have to say that other than myself, only five of my Facebook friends in my news feed have changed their profile picture for the reason the funny graphic above refers. Three changed one way and two the other way. So I guess including mine, it is 3-3. I think that accurately reflects the split in this country, which I project will also be reflected in the split among the Supreme Court Justices. I am sure others will disagree and say their news feed definitely is swayed heavily one way, showing support for changing the definition of marriage by law in the US. 

Well, to that I would reply with a quote from one of my friends. "Why do we Christians remain silent on this issue?" I do not know why most Christians do, but I believe for myself, it is because I do love and care about other people. As Christians, we do not change our profile picture, or if we do we are very careful what to put there, because we do not want to hurt or offend the people in our lives whom we love but who disagree with us on these types of issues. Funny thing, however, those same people whom we love DID change their profile picture and do not seem concerned about offending us. So why are we so sensitive?

The sensitivity comes from Christians in America being labeled "haters" and "discriminators" and "bigots" for believing in a value system that honors God (and His statement on the nature of human union, or marriage, which is one man and one woman.) What a misconception that has been allowed to exist and spread!! I do not hate anyone; I do not discriminate. I act and interact out of love, respect, and faith in God. I simply believe in preserving the institution of God's statement about marriage. Regarding that institution of marriage, God also states that the marriage shall be free from adultery. Am I a "hater", "discriminator", or "bigot" for believing that God's statement on adultery should also be preserved and honored? I do not think so.

The truth is we have all sinned and fallen short of God's standard in one way or another. We are all in need of mercy. The point is to recognize that fact and address it with the Lord. I am not "judging" anyone by a different standard than I "judge" myself. I simply have different sin than others have. I do not expect them to condone my sin anymore than they should expect me to condone their sin. We should all support and encourage one another, in love and forgiveness, such as that we have been given ourselves by God. 

But the truth is we have to hold one another accountable to God's standard while on this earth. Accountability is not synonymous with judging. The first is motivated by the desire to see the other person move toward a positive outcome, and the latter is motivated by the desire for our own definition of justice, not God's. Yet, accountability sometimes hurts. Being told you are not living right with God stings and shocks the soul, as it should. The response to that stinging is crucial. PRIDE will harden the heart and defend the sin. HUMILITY will soften the heart and acknowledge the sin. One way or the other, that sin will be dealt with, and the sinner is in complete control of the way--heaven or hell. Eternally with God or eternally separated from Him. Pride closes the door; humility opens it. But God will allow you to choose. 

So in the end, yes, this all comes down to choice--and I choose Heaven. I choose to support a society that honors that path. My desire is for all of us to unite in Heaven. I need you to help me get there as much as you need me. This desire is not "hate" but "love". This desire is not "discrimination" but "inclusion". This desire is not "bigotry" and "closed-mindedness" but is "fairness" and "broad-mindedness".  

Although I changed my profile picture (see above), I really do not like this kind of behavior on Facebook because it promotes an "us" vs "them" attitude; we are in this life together, each of with our own sin, and that is actually what unifies us. Maybe every Facebook user should take a deep look into themselves and for one week change their profile picture to state their own sin--now that would be constructive and hopefully productive!

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. Romans 3:22-25(a) NIV
 
Blessings to ALL of my Girlfriends!

Forgiveness

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

Forgiveness.

As He does when I am supposed to pay attention, God has been repeating this word throughout my week. I attended a church in St Louis over the weekend, and I will bet you can guess the topic of the sermon: Forgiveness. I listened, nodded my head, but felt no conviction. Then, I turned on the radio in the car to hear Sanctus Real singing, "Well the past is playing with my head and failure knocks me down again-I’m reminded of the wrong that I have said and done, And that devil just won't let me forget..." (lyrics to Forgiven) OK, God, is there something you are trying to tell me here? My ears are tuned. Finally, I opened an unknown email only to discover the author is a former schoolmate who divulged that I had caused her pain years ago. Forgiveness just became incredibly personal.

Forgiveness.

 I have heard this word from the time I was a small child, reciting the Lord's prayer: "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..." (Matthew 6:12) From my mom, I was taught that I was to ask for forgiveness (tell your sister you are sorry) as well as extend it (tell your sister 'it's ok'.) Yes, that is a silly example, but isn't that how it all starts? From your own experiences, which do you think has been harder? Seeking forgiveness? Offering forgiveness?


I forgive you.

As a woman who survived a Nazi death camp, after watching both her father and sister die, Corrie Ten Boom wrote, "“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” (Clippings from My Notebook.) Can you imagine the depths of her soul to which she traveled to find her forgiveness for those men who caused her unfathomable pain? Have you been, or are you now trying, to get to that place in your own heart?

Luke 6:37 (NIV) instructs us "...Forgive, and you will be forgiven." We know the will of God is that we forgive one another as our key verse for today states. The application of our knowledge seems often to be the sticking point. 

Today, Girlfriends, I pray you will open your hand and grasp that key that Jesus offers you, and then do as Corrie ten Boom says: Unlock the door of resentment, take of the handcuffs of hatred. Extend your forgiveness and be set free. By not doing so, you are in effect allowing that person's words or actions to hold you hostage. Don't think you can bring yourself to it?

Well, Corrie ten Boom found herself in that exact position in a church in Munich in 1947 when approached by a guard from the camp where she had been held, where her sister had died. The man walked up to her, held out his hand, and told her that he had become a Christian. He knew his sins had been forgiven by God, but he asked her, "Will you forgive me?"

Of this experience, Corrie wrote, "“Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him....Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness....And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives along with the command, the love itself.” (The Hiding Place) Corrie ten Boom forgave him right then.

Will you forgive me?

We don't have the advantage of also reading the thoughts of the guard Corrie forgave that day. Yet, I ask, can you empathize with him? What courage did he muster to ask forgiveness of a woman whose dignity he stole? To whose sister's death he contributed? Of whose life he forever altered? Furthermore, from what pit of hellish control by Satan had he escaped to seek and discover for himself the life-saving forgiveness of our Lord and Savior? Have you visited such a place on your life's journey? I pray, my Girlfriends, that you have sought and received God's forgiveness through repentance. He will wash you clean; your sins will be cast to the bottom of the sea. If you have not come before Him, I pray you will do so now. 

Finally, like this guard, do you need to seek forgiveness from someone you have sinned against? Yes, God forgives you. In return for His loving kindness, set your pride aside and apologize to your earthly brothers and sisters whom you've wounded. Perhaps they will forgive you; maybe they will not. Pray to the Lord and release to Him what only He can do. 

As for me, I responded to that email I received. I sincerely apologized for any pain I caused and asked to be forgiven. I was not a Christian as a teen, and I confess to selfish, jealous behavior. My soul knows God has forgiven me; I can only pray this person will too. But I also have another prayer, which is for God to work on any unforgiveness I am holding tightly in my heart. That email, and the desire to be forgiven for something I honestly regret, reaffirmed the peace and love forgiveness fosters. Am I robbing someone of that experience today? Are you? Girlfriends, let us all pray: to release others, and to be released ourselves, from sin--past, present, and future. Amen.

May the peace of Christ be with you all!