A Prayer for St. Louis & Ferguson Thoughts

Heavenly Father, you know all things. You hold all things. Nothing comes as a shock to you, and I praise you for that. I don't have to worry about anything because before the sun sets today and rises tomorrow you know what will happen. You see Ferguson and you know every person's heartache. You know every person's anger. Most of all, you love and care for them more than we now how to humanly express. As I watch from so many miles away, I ask that you send your Comforter to the city and that His presence would be felt. I know that in hard emotional times when temperatures are hot, we don't always feel or want to acknowledge you, which is why I ask that you really fill the city with your presence. And God I pray that your Church, that the body of Christ would rise up;  Would tend to the brokenhearted. I pray that there would be no blame shifting, people pointing, but the only pointing would be to your son, Jesus. He has already carried our burdens. Carry the burdens of the people now. Use this time Lord to bring glory to your name. In all things may you get the glory, and some how for this ugly, this mess we have created of and by ourselves, may you get the glory out of it. Amen.

 

I don't know all the details and I don't pretend to know all the details. I don't know both sides of the story, and unless you are Michael Brown or Darren Wilson, then neither do you. Media is powerful, isn't it? It's hard as a society for us to move on from tragic events. It's even harder when we live in a society that doesn't allow us to forget our past. We're supposed to learn from it though, aren't we? Sadly I think we say with our mouths that we're different, but our minds and actions say otherwise. When are we really going to show that skin color is nothing but a color?

While I can't understand at all the pain the blacks are relating to, I don't blame them for the anger thay have. Granted, it doesn't justify the looting and setting cars to fire, but there also isn't justification for the police force using tear gas on them, is it? As MLK Jr. once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Even our President said:

But I join Michael’s parents in asking anyone who protests this decision to do so peacefully. Let me repeat Michael’s father’s words:  “Hurting others or destroying property is not the answer. No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son’s death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone."

We have a long way to go. The Ferguson situation only brought to light what has been oppressed for far too long. We have to work together so that for our nation, our children's sake the next generation does not grow up and live in a world of hate. Two sided.  The first photo was 40 years ago of people being doused with water from a firehose for nothing but their skin color. And below, present day, cars set abaze and tear gas in hand.

St. Louis really needs our prayers. We need each other.  Lord help us all.

The GREAT Commission.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Yesterday was a really great day. I went to two different church services and in each of them I saw this very verse in action. I witnessed an Argentine brother be prayed over as he was sent out from our local church, and later I watched a Brazilian sister be baptized in a step of obedience and faith. 

If you know me well, you'd know I cried at both of these services watching my brother and sister do exactly as His word says. His living and active word calls people to action, and nothing brought greater joy to my heart. Nothing.  Don't you see what makes this commission so great, though?

This brother, Joaquin, is going to India for a month to work and serve with Argentine M's in the Himilayas for the month of December. I'm sure he'd love the prayers. Heading to land of idolatry and false gods, he and his team of 11 others will be traveling throughout the mountains using music and the word to minister to the people there. I'm so excited to see what this trip brings about in both his life and the lives of the people there.

My sister Julia invited me earlier this week to church and dinner afterward. Obviously I love both of those things and accepted. So, imagine my surprise when I got there and she told me she couldn't sit with me because she was being baptized. Her and 20 others were dunked last night. PRAISE GOD. When asking everyone why they wanted this, they all said, "obedience and faith," but some gave additional testimony to how Jesus had forgiven them of their sins forever. To the least of these, can I just get an amen?

As we were singing at the beginning, I was just in awe of the glory and presence of God in this great city. That He would allow me to be a part of His work at a time such as this. To watch a brother be sent out yesterday and a sister be baptized in the same day. As church was letting out they had all 20 of them on stage and were singing a song called, "Te Doy Gloria" which is a party song. It repeats this line saying, "I give you glory (x3), to you Jesus". And I just thought to myself, this is a sliver of what heaven looks like for just one person repenting.

I pray than God gets ALL the glory, NOTHING, but the glory for what is happening here in Buenos Aires. May the enemy be defeated and have no part in this city. It's all for His name's sake.