People Need the Lord.

 This morning I was starting my day in a quiet, contemplative, prayerful way.  Those are my favorites.  I was considering my parents-in-law who are planning to pack up and drive to Arizona again for the winter.  They came on Sunday to see us because when the leave for Arizona they are gone for about 6 months.  We worry about them when they are in the midwest and we worry about them when they are travelling and we worry about them when they are down south because we love them so much.  Also, we worry because they are 88 and 89 years old......so there's that.  This morning I felt compelled to send a prayer to the sisters as we all are wanting their trip south to go well, and because we worry....and in the writing of the prayer to them, I heard in my heart the words to a very old song.....by Steve Green....called People Need the Lord.  

We just really, really do.  

We need the Lord.  The words talk about hurting people, lost people, angry and stressed people....and all of us people... we need the Lord.  Only in Him is there comfort and rest and peace and the assurance that even when things are really hard and really scary and really frustrating.....He is here.  Real.  Alive.  Working.  Caring.  Not an idol.  Not dead.  Not scary.  Not fiction.  People need the Lord in the pandemics of Covid and of racism and yes, both are real.  I'm sick and tired of them both but not nearly as sick and tired of those fighting for their lives every day.  I don't deserve the luxury of turning away, denying the reality or saying "screw it".  None of us do.  People need the Lord.  

 

Both the pandemic of Covid and of racism are so isolating, so suppresive, so painful and intimidating.  God is not in any of those feelings.  He's just not.  God is in community, in compassion, in freedom, in healing and in perfect love.  This election of our president and other leaders in this country has mixed with social media and anger and hatred and the oil and water of that is so, so, so loud.  I'm drowning in it.  I really am.  People need the Lord.  

I am not an evangelist.  I'm not good at that.....but I know a few things about division and hatred and meanness.....and injustice....and the devil.  I also know a few things about unity and love and kindness....and my Savior Jesus Christ.  So I will say it once more.  People need the Lord.  

I participated in a conference last week and I learned so much.  I would love to share my biggest take-away of the day as a challenge for me and for all of you.  Greet people and compliment them.  That's it.  Greet human beings with a hello, eye contact if you can do that, a wave or a high five or (dare I say it....a hug).  Compliment people.  Find something good to say about them to them.  It's really not that hard.  I have these sweet little girls who live next door to me and they are the absolute best at both greeting and complimenting me every single time I see them.  They are the hands and feet of Jesus, just because they know what to do what they know what to do.  Can we please, please, please just do that much for now?  

In the mean time I will be praying that revival comes in Jesus name and that the church becomes the place we can run to for sanctuary and comfort and truth and healing.  I will be praying that the devil is stopped and silenced by the blood of Jesus and that all of his schemes will fall dead to the ground.  I will be praying for goodness and kindness and wisdom to be the new cornerstone of our nation, and that apologies and restitution will be made for all that was done wrong from those who went before us.....and that pandemics will fall and walls of God's will will be built and that we will see and know...that People Need the Lord.