1. The Need for Grace
I know I don’t. Being black has not afforded me any extra insight. I, too, am on my face, weeping before the Lord, and seeking His wisdom in this hour, as I hope you are too.
But this I know. People are going to get it wrong. They are going to say things wrong or do things out of a place of anger or fear or pain. Or they are going to move in a way or direction that is ultimately harmful.
Change and transformation is messy and the process is often painful and not pretty. But it is necessary and we must have grace for our brothers and sisters and for those in the world as we all stumble towards a more reconciled and just nation.
2. The Need to Lean into What the Spirit is Saying
In this hour, we are in desperate need of the wisdom, guidance, discernment, and truth that only comes from the Father.
I keep hearing people say how important it is to “center black voices” right now. I understand the sentiment and agree that it is helpful in terms of listening, learning, and understanding the complex feelings and emotions raging and spilling out of the hearts of black people in this nation.
However, it is imperative that in our “centering of black voices” we do not become deaf to what the Lord is saying in this hour.
God has a lot to say about what is happening, not only in our nation, but worldwide. Let’s lean into that and ask Him:
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What is He saying in this hour?
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What is He saying to us individually?
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What is He saying to us corporately?
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What is He saying to us as a Nation?
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And what is He saying to the global body of Christ in this hour?
We have an urgent need to return to the place of prayer in this hour.
Yes, there are things that need to be done “on the ground”, but we as believers, and not just citizens of this world, must take into account that before racism is anything, it is a demonic stronghold over America that has been fortified and strengthened generation after generation after generation.
“Though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
We cannot use the same weapons that the world uses to demolish a demonic stronghold that has had its hooks in America for so many centuries that it is woven into the very fabric of our DNA as a country.
If we as a people rush to rage with the rest of them and in doing so, neglect the place of weeping and prayer, falsely believing that prayer is not enough for the hearts of men and the times we are living in, we have already lost.
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Hi Danielle. Thank you! I’m familiar with Voddie. I’ve watched that video as well as others. I agree with him on a lot of points and disagree with him on some, but definitely a helpful resource during this time. I feel like his message is more geared towards black people and how we respond to issues of racial injustices as members of the body of Christ.
Thank you Kerry! I certainly was encouraged by the progress between white and black South Africans during the month I spent in South Africa while on the World Race. It is a journey, for sure, but in time, we will see the fruit of our work and hope.
Thank you for your kind words! I pray we all have ears to hear and eyes to see what the Lord is doing and saying in this hour.
Michelle, Yes! I have been listening to a song called “Low Enough” that a friend of mine wrote a few years ago when her mom was sick. One of the main lines of the song is are, “I can not get low enough to the ground.” There are some things in this life that bring us to our knees and we just have to lay on our face before the Lord. Here is the link to the song if you want to check it out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQInF-rQ2No
Thank you for being brave and sharing your heart on this. Voddie Baucham gave a very moving sermon on racial reconciliation which I think you might find refreshing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoJGYCc7EUg
Another voice I’ve been following through this and found encouraging is Samuel from Slow to Write blog.
Thank you for your insights and humility in sharing them. As a white South African, we also still have a long journey ahead of us in dealing with racism, which, despite it being 26 years post-apartheid, is still prevalent in our society. There are certainly glimmers of hope with individuals making efforts to understand one another across the racial divide and live together in peace as God intends. I truly believe that only the Lord can bring true conviction and willingness to change to people’s hearts. As you say, we need to press into God, listen and obey Him in whichever way he leads and it will always be towards love.
Solid. Thank you.
Please be encouraged, the church in the Seattle suburbs is uniting in public places to repent, pray, and call for justice and reconciliation.
https://www.facebook.com/events/267940894293633/
Yes! Well put.
You are a gift, LaShondra, to all who have ears. Your words are insightful and have authenticity anchored by your personal experiences. May we give special attention to your admonitions of viewing the depth and the source of this crisis. Only our Redeemer can use this for good, but that, in fact, is precisely what redemption is about. Well spoken. Thanks.
Lashondra…this…is…so…good. It is what I have been hearing. “Face to the ground, face to the ground. Listen only to my voice. Draw close. Face to the ground.” Thank you for sharing!