I recently sent a short e-mail...which I consider a timely prophetic word...to all the Christians I know. Posted it as well on facebook, despite the sleaziness of that venue.
It's a call to repentance ("re-thinking"): and nobody ever likes to hear that, since it implies we've been doing wrong. As we have.
So I prayed, and tried to make it as gentle and non-judgemental a call to repentance as possible, entitling it simply "A Request." I re-worked for weeks before sending it, and hesitated and prayed for a week or more before sending it: but I think I kinda got the tone I hoped for. If so, that's God's answer to prayer: I am not usually gentle in prophesying against evils that beset the Church.
That e-mail is below: and below it, a short comment on why I felt I needed to be extremely careful in its wording, and in sending it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends in Christ:
We can all see that the spirit of lies and
unrighteousness is more ascendant in our
country today, than ever before.
Christians have played a part in bringing
that about. But greater than the damage to
our country, we've done violence to Christ's
Name and His Body, by joining them to evil-
doers.
If we can still see today's growing evil, it's
only because God's Spirit gives us light. But
if He gives us light today to see, we dare not
ignore Him, and offend Him, by continuing to
follow and justify evil-doers.
If we do, God has every reason to withdraw
His Light and His Presence from us, and leave
us in hopeless darkness.
While we still have light to discern between
good and evil, truth and lies, God has enabled
us, for this time, to see the way back to Him.
I strongly sense we are at a fearful dividing-
point today. Please seek God's guidance on
this.
Blessing to all who set their heart to listen
for God's voice, and heed Him. Amen.
In Jesus, Steve
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The reason I tried to be so prayerfully circumspect in my wording, and in sending the e-mail, is that I'm relatively sure some of my Christian friends and relatives took my message as an attack on their political beliefs (and it certainly has strong political implications). I was fearful that a call to hear God and return to Him, in the worldview of many "political Christians," would be perceived as an unAmerican, "Democrat" or "liberal," screed.
I've been pleasantly surprised that the few responses I've received did not "attack" back: even one from a cousin who's been quite "politically Christian" for years. I'm thankful to God for that. Maybe those who chose to take my e-mail as an attack were simply too livid to reply. If so, I'm also thankful to God for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment