Good Mourning, Lord.

“They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.”

In Luke 8, we read the story of Jesus raising a dead girl to life. Because she was dead, her home was surrounded by mourners – professional mourners, doing their culturally-dictated job of weeping and wailing in a public fashion to give a corporate voice to the community’s sadness.

But their hypocrisy was uncovered when Jesus said, “She is not dead, but asleep.” How quickly these veneer-thick mourners went from lament to laughter.Their mourning, perhaps conceived with good intentions, was pretense, not pity.

Yesterday, a shooting rampage in a gay Florida night club left over 50 people dead … in the name of the attackers’ version of their Islamic faith. For the past 24 hours, I have watched and read the litany of mournful statements and posts. We are all incredibly sad that such a thing could happen right here, on American soil. I know the sorrow is very real for some (though I suspect that some of the “mourning” has been a veiled attempt at theo-political correctness – some pretense rather than pity).

But, it got me to thinking. In Christ, there is “neither Jew nor Greek”. As a follower of Jesus, I am an alien and stranger here on earth. I know many from the U.S. will balk at this, but I’m convinced that I should be WAY more committed to the Kingdom of God than the country of my geography and ethnicity. And my heart should bleed as much for the nations as for any isolated locale. I don’t at all begrudge people for mourning the Orlando shootings. But I don’t think Jesus is sadder about our national tragedy than He is about similar things happening all over the world. If we truly have a heart like the Savior’s … then why don’t we mourn for the nations?

It got me to thinking, which got me to doing a bit of searching … and I’m afraid I ran into some extraordinarily depressing news. Do you realize how many tragedies like the Orlando shooting have happened in 2016 alone? Over 130! … I’ve made a list of terrorist acts with double-digit death counts (there are more than twice as many of these where less than 10 were killed). I’ve posted them below … and I offer these thoughts:

1. I think the Homeland Security leadership has done an admirable job in this country – that we don’t show up on this list until June 11. This is especially true considering how much we are loathed by the most violent of terrorist groups.
2. Do we look at the numbers next to countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, and figure that, well, that’s just part and parcel of the situation, and is to be expected? Or do we mourn for those losses as well?
3. Why do we pray so little? These attacks show no sign of stopping. I think we all know that prayer matters, makes a difference, etc. In light of the incredibly awful situation we find ourselves in these days, how can we ever get through a day without crying out to God for His mercy?(My biggest question.)
4. How do we mourn for all of these people? So much unspeakable tragedy … so much anguish. Is it easier to just rent a movie and numb our minds to these realities? Or do we believe Jesus enough to emotionally and prayerfully enter into the brokenness, and help carry these international burdens?

 

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart” (Eccl. 7:2). Lord, teach us to love our neighbors, and mourn with those who mourn. Really.

– EO

3-Jan	Iraq	15
7-Jan	Libya	60
1-Jan	Iraq	12
11-Jan	Iraq	20
11-Jan	Iraq	100
12-Jan	Turkey	12
13-Jan	Pakistan	15
13-Jan	Cameroon	12
15-Jan	Somalia	63
16-Jan	Burkina Faso	30
16-Jan	Syria	300
17-Jan	Afghanistan	14
17-Jan	Yemen	10
19-Jan	Pakistan	10
20-Jan	Pakistan	20
22-Jan	Somalia	20
25-Jan	Scameroon	28
25-Jan	Syria	23
26-Jan	Syria	29
26-Jan	Afghanistan	10
27-Jan	Iraq	55
30-Jan	Nigeria	86
1-Feb	Afghanistan	20
3-Feb	Syria	15
8-Feb	Iraq	300
9-Feb	Nigeria	60
13-Feb	Nigeria	22
17-Feb	Yemen	13
17-Feb	Turkey	28
19-Feb	Cameroon	24
21-Feb	Syria	57
21-Feb	Syria	134
22-Feb	Afghanistan	14
25-Feb	Iraq	15
26-Feb	Somalia	14
27-Feb	Afghanistan	13
28-Feb	Iraq	78
28-Feb	Somaila	30
29-Feb	Iraq	40
29-Feb	DRC	13
2-Mar	Syria	18
4-Mar	Yemen	15
6-Mar	Iraq	61
6-Mar	Syria	14
7-Mar	Pakistan	10
7-Mar	Tunisia	17
13-Mar	Ivory Coast	19
13-Mar	Turkey	37
16-Mar	Pakistan	15
16-Mar	Nigeria	22
18-Mar	Syria	11
19-Mar	Egypt	13
20-Mar	Iraq	24
22-Mar	Belgium	32
25-Mar	Iraq	41
25-Mar	Yemen	26
26-Mar	Iraq	18
27-Mar	Pakistan	72
4-Apr	Iraq	14
7-Apr	Syria	23
8-Apr	Syria	175
9-Apr	Yemen	17
9-Apr	Philippines	18
11-Apr	Afghanistan	12
19-Apr	Afghanistan	64
21-Apr	Iraq	250
23-Apr	Iraq	45
24-Apr	Nigeria	30
25-Apr	Syria	16
29-Apr	Iraq	14
30-Apr	Iraq	38
1-May	Somaila	22
1-May	Iraq	33
2-May	Iraq	18
2-May	Iraq	17
3-May	DRC	38
4-May	Syria	15
5-May	Syria	12
5-May	Iraq	25
9-May	Iraq	16
10-May	Afghanistan	11
11-May	Iraq	17
11-May	Iraq	64
11-May	Iraq	13
11-May	Yemen	13
11-May	Syria	45
12-May	Yemen	15
12-May	Syria	49
13-May	Iraq	16
13-May	Iraq	11
14-May	Syria	20
15-May	Iraq	14
15-May	Iraq	15
15-May	Yemen	47
16-May	Iraq	21
17-May	Iraq	101
18-May	Iraq	25
20-May	Afghanistan	11
22-May	Syria	12
23-May	Yemen	45
23-May	Syria	184
25-May	Afghanistan	11
29-May	Iraq	25
29-May	Iraq	12
31-May	Afghanistan	17
1-Jun	Somalia	16
1-Jun	Iraq	13
3-Jun	Yemen	18
3-Jun	Iraq	18
4-Jun	Syria	40
4-Jun	Nigeria	32
6-Jun	Kazakhstan	10
5-Jun	Syria	38
5-Jun	Iraq	13
5-Jun	Iraq	400
6-Jun	Iraq	11
7-Jun	Iraq	65
7-Jun	Turkey	11
7-Jun	Iraq	10
7-Jun	Syria	20
8-Jun	Afghanistan	16
9-Jun	Iraq	12
9-Jun	Iraq	12
9-Jun	Iraq	19
9-Jun	Syria	54
10-Jun	Libya	32
10-Jun	Iraq	30
11-Jun	Iraq	10
11-Jun	Afghanistan	14
11-Jun	Syria	20
11-Jun	Syria	49
12-Jun	USA	50

 

Love Ya, But You’re Not Family

The common religious “logic” these days is that all religions are different versions of the same thing – and attempt to be right with the one God. Whether Christian, Muslim, Jew, or whatever else, we’re called to “coexist” with an understanding that none of these expressions are wrong, and that they are intrinsically the same.I spent some time reading the Koran tonight. Just chapter 9. I admit to not being well-versed in this text … I had just heard that chapter 9 would be an interesting read. And, I’ve been encouraged to consider this book as a set of sacred texts that are just another version of the eclectic enterprise that is human religion.

But is it?

9.5 – “Slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush.”

9.14 – “Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them.”

9.29 – “Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah.”

9.30 – “Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah … Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!”

9.31 – “They have taken as lords beside Allah …the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God.”

9.33 – “He … sent His messenger … that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.”

9.36 – “Wage war on all of the idolaters.”

 

9.41 – “Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed.”

9.73 – “Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell.”

9.80 – “Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them.”

9.111 – “Lo! Allah hath bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs: they shall fight in the way of Allah and shall slay and be slain … Rejoice then in your bargain that ye have made, for that is the supreme triumph.”

9.113 – “It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray for the forgiveness of idolaters even though they may be near of kin (to them) after it hath become clear that they are people of hell-fire.”

9.122 – “And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk.”

9.123 – “O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).

These texts are a far cry from the Biblical call to love my neighbor. To turn the other cheek. To not live (or die) by the sword. To pray for and extend forgiveness. To be the servant of all. To sacrifice.

With all due respect … we are not family. The God depicted in these texts is not the God that was revealed in Jesus the Christ. It is ignorance of both sets of texts to tell me they should be compatible.

(These texts are also obvious examples of how violence and terrorism can be extrapolated easily from the Islamic texts. I know many Muslims claim that their faith is peaceful. But you have to be theologically creative to purge the obvious violence from these teachings.)

The practical, relevant difference between this text and the Bible should not be missed: As Christians, we are to serve, love, and pray for those who don’t believe as we do. Our hope is that we “might win some” (1 Cor. 9:22). So, yes, Christians are the ones, the unique ones, who are called, and even equipped by the Holy Spirit, to COEXIST with all peoples. We don’t believe in universal salvation … but social cohesion, mutual honoring, and a peaceful society?

My family is all in.

– EO

 

 

 

Are We Crying Out to God Enough?

What is the appropriate response for believers to the chaos that is escalating all around us?

• Turn off the news and isolate from the bad news
• Lobby for a political candidate who will fix things
• Complain about the situation on social media
• Distract ourselves with entertainment
• Move to Costa Rica

The prophet Jeremiah points us to the one thing needful (Lamentations 2:16-19):

• (16) “All your enemies open their mouths against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: ‘We have devoured her! Ah, this is the day we longed for; at last we have seen it.'” This feels like our day. Every time we experience an “uncivilized” attack against the West, it is accompanied by maddening, vitriolic claims to victory.

• (17)”The Lord has done what He purposed, He has carried out His threat; as He ordained long ago, He has demolished without pity; He has made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted the might of your foes.” This is happening under God’s control? Not only that, but by God’s initiative! “He has made” them gloat, and has “exalted the might” of their tactics? He is behind it all. Startling? But this means He can, and only He can, change its course.

• (18-19) “Cry aloud to the Lord! O wall of daughter Zion! Let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite! Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children.”  When facing times of inordinate calamity, the call of God to His people is to pray. But this is so much more than saying a quick prayer before the evening meal, or listing “world peace” as you go down your prayer list. Jeremiah describes a brand of prayer that rends ones mind, heart and body to the Lord. Hands lifted, hearts poured out, from the rising of the sun to the late hours of the night. “Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite.”

Hope for our world rests in the sovereign God, Who is at the helm of all of our circumstances, pouring out His mercy and grace on the nations. He answers to prayers of His people. So, we know that this is the one thing most needful in our day.

The world doesn’t know, believe or understand this … and will therefore never ask it of us. But they desperately need those who believe in the Most High God to pray, and to pray hard. We’re the ones who know the way out of our tragic international condition. Do we love the nations, our country, our families, and even ourselves enough to hit our knees?

May Lamentations 2:18-19 be a description of the church’s collective prayer life. And may God pour out fresh mercies on us, and on the nations.

– EO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• I’m not praying like this. I need to.
• And what if the Lord answers this type of collective wailing with an outpouring of His mercy and grace?
• so commit themselves to intercessory prayer that they are physically spent –