BY ERICA HUCKSTEP, GRACE ATTENDER
We have been singing
Glorious Day at church a lot recently.
While it hits me deeply because it reminds me of when I needed to be called out of darkness, God put something else on my heart one Sunday morning.
I was buried beneath my shame
Who could carry that kind of weight?
It was my tomb ‘Til I met You
I was breathing but not alive
All my failures I tried to hide
It was my tomb ‘Til I met You
You called my name and
I ran out of that grave
There are a lot of good people in this world, but in this current political climate what I see a lot of is hate for people that are different; and a hoarding of the good things for oneself and those closest them.
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
We are all made in God’s image regardless of our differences.
Those that spread hate in the name of God have a fatal misunderstanding of God. Jesus loved the people that were cast out and seemed unlovable. The imperfect. The broken. The sinners Those that didn’t fit into cultural norms. People that were different from him. He loved them all. It is so arrogant of us to think we are a better judge of people than Christ. Who are we to judge who deserves love and compassion.
Spreading hate and fear is only a sad attempt to keep all the light and glory for ourselves.
There is enough light, love, and kindness for everyone. God won’t run out. We won’t run out. In fact, the more we give the more it will grow. This is the calling that God gives us.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
But knowing these words are not enough. We need to learn how to live this out well. We need to learn how to love each other well. Sometimes that means stepping out of our comfort zone. Sometimes that means getting to know people that are different than us. It always means standing up for justice for every person. It means not disregarding people when they say they are in pain or afraid. And so much more.
I see many people trying to keep others in the darkness or put them in the darkness. If we have been truly given that gift of being called out of darkness, shouldn’t we want that for everyone. There is enough light, love, and God for all of creation.
Let’s be grateful that we have been saved.
Let’s be grateful for all those that are already free from their grave.
Let’s stand with Christ and call people out of their grave.
Let’s stand with Christ and call people out of darkness.
What Now?You might be wondering, what now? There are a few "easy" first steps to take.
1. Invite someone to church.
There are millions of people that have never heard the message of Jesus. They need to know that they are loved and that they were made for more. We guarantee you have at least one person in your life who feels isolated and lonely. They need to know the love of Jesus and all it takes is one invite! Whether it's Grace or somewhere else, just extend the offer. If you need to see our service times, click here!
2. Get in the room.
Know someone who has different beliefs than you? It's important to have healthy conversations that can affect change. As Dave always says, get in the room and stay in the room. When the conversation gets difficult, don't bail. Dive deep and listen well.
3. Never stop learning.
We encourage you to be a lifelong learner. We have some great resources on our blogs. Click here for more.