“Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.” Joel 2:12-13
The last few weeks have had our country aching, wringing our hands, and beating our breasts, figuratively if not literally. So much hate in our country that has been speared on by 24-hour-a-day news channels and social media. If it wasn’t so pathetic it might be comical. But, I for one, am not laughing.
There are some who count at least 19 school shootings this year alone. There are others that say that’s not right, that there have only been a handful of school shootings, the others are shootings that just happened to happen at a school setting. Oh my goodness, get over yourselves. If there has been one school shooting, where one person has been targeted out of hate, that is one too many. And the hate of the blame game is getting to be almost as unbearable as the constant news noise of analysis and fault finding. Yes, we as Americans have too many guns (we also have too many opioids). Yes, life is so much different than it was when we (that’s a collective “we” because there are at least 6 generations alive today) were growing up. Yes, there is an awful lot of mental illness out there brought on by too much drug use and too many dealing with PTSD and behavior issues gone unchecked. Yes, we know about things happening the minute they happen, no matter where in the world they happen. And in knowing that, we are inundated by 24/7 news channels being the first one with breaking news (when did it become breaking news that KFC ran out of chicken in Great Britain?). And finally, everyone, and I mean everyone (myself included) is a new commentator/analyst on every form of social media to be found. Why can’t we go back to showing pictures of our cute kittens? And when did it change from “sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you” to “words hurt”. I KNOW THAT WORDS HURT! I’ve known it for years. I’ve lived through it. So, there you have it. Oh, add in violent movies and hurtful movies and violent video games and we have all the ammunition we need for hate in America. Oh, add in that most people think all of this is Trump’s fault. That’s okay, because people used to think that it was all Obama’s fault (a different group of most people). Oh, and let’s not forget those darn Russians (I would curse here but I’ve given that up for Lent).
No wonder our country is wringing our hands and beating our breasts and being frustrated and angry with our government, our society, our neighbors and maybe even our God.
I want to ask you to do something, just for the next few weeks. I would like for you, instead of posting all of that to social media to take it to the Lord. I know, it sounds too simple to be realistic. I would like for you to take all of that hate and frustration and anger from your heart, turn around until you find the Lord, and give it to Him. And then I want you to do something else for me. I would like for you to take the time that’s left in Lent and fast from the hate and frustration and anger. Don’t bring any of it up to anyone, except God. Let it be between you and Him. You see, He understands. He understands your anger and hate and frustration. He can take that away from you and give you peace. But you’re not done. I want you to weep. My Mama always said that crying was good for your soul. I want you to cry your heart out. That’s what she used to say. Cry until you can’t cry anymore. I want you to boo-hoo cry. I know that you have it in you. If you have all of that anger and frustration and hate in your heart then you have a good cry in there. Cry it out. It will cleanse your heart, and your soul. And you probably need that. So, have a good cry. Cry yourself to sleep. And pray to the Lord while you cry. Say a prayer in there asking for forgiveness for harboring hate in your heart. Ask forgiveness for other things that have built up and muddied your heart. You don’t have to name them, God knows what they are. Just cry it out. And now, I want you to mourn. I want you to mourn for the victims of the violence and hate and anger and frustration we have seen in our country. But I want you to mourn for those in the world who still don’t have power and water after the hurricanes of last season. I want you to mourn for those in the world who are refugees; who have had to leave their homes, and their lives, just to stay alive. I want you to mourn for those who fear for their life every day of their lives. A lot of these are children, like ours. And they live in constant fear. And I want you to mourn for those who have died, who didn’t have to die. Whether they were killed by an assault rifle that our military sold to their assailant or by an assault rifle that should be illegal. Whether they were killed by a bomb or a knife or a car. Whether they were killed by a disease that is unrelenting. Mourn for these innocent victims. Throw in a prayer or two. And remember to mourn for you and the losses that you have had.
And when you’ve returned to the Lord with your whole heart with fasting and weeping and mourning, keep it to yourself. Don’t throw on that sackcloth and beat your breasts in public. Kneel down next to your bed before you go to sleep. When was the last time you did that? Let the Lord know what you have done, it’s not anybody else’s business. Take it to Him. Give it to Him, like a present.
Because, if enough of us do this, maybe then our Lord, who is gracious and merciful, who is slow to anger, who is rich in kindness, who is relenting in punishment, maybe our Lord will do what he can to take care of the hate and anger and frustration, and the guns, and the mental illness, and the unacceptable behavior, and 24/7 news channels, and the social media, and the opioids, and violent movies and hurtful movies, and violent video games, society as a whole, our current administration, our government, past administrations, and even the Russians, and the senseless deaths. As the good book says, “Rend your hearts”.
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2