God bless…
From the Irresistible Revolution:
“Too often we do what makes sense to us and ask God to bless it. In the Beatitudes, God tells us what God blesses – the poor, the peacemakers, the hungry, those who mourn, those who show mercy – so we should not ask God’s blessing on a declaration that we will have no mercy on evildoers. We know all to well that we have a God who shows mercy on evildoers, for if he didn’t we’d all be in big trouble, and for that this evildoer is very glad. Rather than do what makes sense to us and ask God’s blessing, we’d do better to surround ourselves with those whom God promises to bless, and then we need not ask God’s blessing. It’s just what God does.”
He’s talking to America when he says, “we should not ask God’s blessing on a declaration that we will show no mercy to evildoers.” How many times have you seen God’s name associated with the political agendas of this nation? Or of this world? “God bless America!” “God bless this nation!” Did you know that people in Iraq look at what those in our government leading the war in Iraq and call them “Christian extremists”? I’m thankful thaht so far they haven’t written all of the Christian faith off over such insanity! Whatever happened to Christians following a Prince of Peace?
Maybe the answer to this nationalistic religion which breeds violence of the foreigner (whether Muslim or Christian) is learning to begin following the Way of Christ. His teachings on God’s propensity to blessing the poor, the peacemakers, the hungry, etc. is closer than we think to a simple yet profound strategy for world peace. When we stop following our own “God-blessed” propositions and begin getting to know those whom God has already blessed (see the above list), we begin to discover the mighty ways of God’s Kingdom.
See, American Christians can be so turned around that they read books like the Prayer of Jabez and conclude that God wants to bless them with tons of money and success. I don’t think Wilknson (the author) necessarily saw how people were going to take his book. It just tells me that we think that we know better than Jesus does what God should bless. “It shoure ain’t the poor, cuz that’s what I am now, and I don’t feel blessed!”
Feeling poor? Down and out? You are not far from the Kingdom of God. Feeling distant from God? Head downtown, look down the alleys; you might find him there. Head to Iraq as a peacemaker (not a peacekeeper, Clint Eastwood!). Give away your lunch to someone who hasn’t seen one in days, comfort someone grieving…you’ll find that God and his blessing is not far from any one of us.
Next to the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Does she sound American anymore?
curtis 1:27 am on November 12, 2006 Permalink
What an awesome post brother. This is hard-hitting. Sounds like something I would have written for my blog actually :-p. It was good to hear this and be reminded.
I suppose, in a way, the concept of asking God’s blessing for what we want to do is a little animistic, since God blesses what he will. Perhaps the question we ask God should be, what course do you intend to bless so I can follow in them?
Also, I like the way you’re using Flickr to tell stories related to what you’re talking about here.
katrina 10:30 am on November 13, 2006 Permalink
Mark
I really appreciate your thoughts here. Thanks for always looking to build us all up and encourage us. I love you loads.
peace
Mark 10:40 am on November 13, 2006 Permalink
Thanks for the encouragement. In a lot of ways, its been tough this semester writing anything at all under the constraints of time and papers looming. Maybe I should hire a secretary to write blog posts on “sane living” for me in the future.