Sojourner Truth grew up as a slave, but later escaped to become a leading voice for the abolition of slavery and for women’s rights.
She became a devoted follower of Christ. Once while Frederick Douglas was lamenting the cause of the black race, he expressed the feeling the white race would never give equality to blacks. Sojourner raised her 6-foot height to say, “Is God dead?”
Her strong faith moved her to express while God was still alive and well, He could and would do what man thinks impossible. Today, we have had both a black president and vice president.
That question needs to be raised today. Is God dead? While gloom and doom is expressed by those who still dwell in the negative, our faith needs to express itself in the positive. The greater question, although more costly, is, “Have I surrendered my life in full obedience to following Jesus.”
I am not responsible for the failures or successes of the politicians. I am responsible for the costly obedience I am called to act upon in my own life.
As I look back on history and my life, I find it interesting those things I thought right or wrong, often turned out to be the opposite. Not always, of course, but often enough to cause me to doubt my dogmatic assertions of truth.
So instead of running off at the mouth at what seems to be absolute, I have found it best to simply trust God to bring good out of what seems to be bad and ask God to give me the discernment and will to act rightly in my own life.
If God truly is real and active in today’s world, we can trust him. That doesn’t mean we ignore the situation at hand or act irresponsibly. But it might mean calling down fire in words of negativity is not helpful in righting what I perceive to be wrong. God is a much better judge of that.
Have I been kind and thoughtful to the people I rub shoulders with? Do I bear the suffering of those in my own arena and the millions around the world dying of diseases which could have been prevented were it not for my selfindulgence?
I close with a prayer from Kay Warren, written at the end of her book, Dangerous Surrender, published by Zondervan in 2007.
“God, I’m not so sure I’m strong enough, courageous enough or disciplined enough to pay the necessary price to see your kingdom come. I have gotten lazy, usually looking for a way out of difficulty rather than facing it head-on. Would you remind me today the cause is worth the cost I might have to pay? I’m willing to believe you are a rewarder of those who seek you, and I can anticipate while I may be asked to give up something precious to me, I will also gain something of infinite worth. I’m willing to risk it all for you.”
To comment, email jhm82@outlook or call (580) 772-2311.