Recently, my sermon was, “We are children of God, awesome!” This is an awesome thing about which to think. It’s an honor and a burden.
It’s an honor because in the midst of chaos, we can have joy. Children of God know that we have nothing to worry about, that our deepest needs are being met and that we have answers to the world’s problems, if only the world would listen.
Why do we feel this way? We feel this way because Jesus Christ said, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) This means, too, that we are overcomers, that what ever comes our way, we shall be victorious. As death could not hold our Master in the grave, nothing can hold us down.
Does this mean that we do not suffer in this world? No. We are in the world, so we are affected by world affairs, but we are not of this world, so we know that one day all the negatives things in this world will be destroyed, and we will have unspeakable joy. As the Word says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9.) So, we have joy because we have hope and a future.
Being children of God is a burden because even though God has told us and shown us how to live in harmony with each other, the world still exhibits selfishness, hate, greed, anger, pride, and increasingly, evil.
Even now there are protests happening in various parts of the country because one race of people feel they are privileged to the extent that they take the life of one who is different and feel justified.
Folk from this same group are actively suppressing voters’ rights, so that they can maintain power. Rather than reaching out to make life better for all, they would rather, by any means, stay in power and keep more for themselves.
Some are even attacking our Asian brothers and sisters, because a member of their race has instigated it by blaming Asians for the global pandemic, COVID-19. I won’t repeat the names by which he’s called this deadly disease. This is evil.
As children of God we see this and our hearts hurt for our brothers and sisters. As children of God, we cannot remain silent in these instances. We must speak out about them. We must do every possible, legal thing to stop it. Moreover, we must do everything morally correct to stop it.
This may mean breaking some of these evil, selfish laws. We must stand with like-minded people and organizations. We must support their efforts with our time, talent and resources. To do anything less would be disobeying our call.
That call? As children of God, we are called to justice. “To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before our God.” – Micah 6:8
Children of God, we must stand!
I wish you Peace, Love, and Blessings!
The Rev. Larry Dozier is the pastor of The New Earth Christian Church in Gardena.
