Blessings to you, loved ones.  My prayer for us this week as that we can find peace through the Prince of Peace.  We are to be peace makers, spreading the message of good news of Jesus Christ to a hurting and divided nation.

I’m writing to you this evening with a heavy heart.  The past week has seen an eruption of misunderstanding, hatred, and violence that has been burning just under the surface for many years.  We all have our opinions about where it comes from and who is at fault.  This wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last unless something changes.  I feel an obligation to address it in some way. There are many things I could say, but nothing anyone can say will fix it.

Turn on the news or spend a few minutes online, and you’ll see diametrically opposed views on what is happening, why it’s happening, and what to do about it.   everyone is trying to talk over everyone else, and it seems no civilized discussion is possible.  That pretty well describes any issue you care to name these days.  If we could hold a public execution for that officer tomorrow, some might feel better for a while, but it would not solve the problem.  We could bring in the military and lock up all the rioters along with those who egg them on, but that won’t heal the wounds.  Justice demands that the wrongs be righted, but consequences only control behavior.  The problem we have is in our hearts, and no politician and no government can do anything about that.

As I contemplated what bit of wisdom I might share regarding current events, the Holy Spirit brought to mind Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.  Verse 2 reads, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”  Paul was a learned man.  He could have come into that city armed with intellectual arguments to prove the truth of what he was saying.  There would be a place for that, but if he had begun there, he’d have lost them.  They didn’t have the background for any of that to even make sense.

I have my own opinions, and it is taking a conscious effort for me not to express them  right now.  There is much wisdom from the pages of scripture that could be applied to this situation, but without a foundation, it will do little good.  That foundation is Jesus.  It doesn’t matter how many laws we make.  It doesn’t matter how many people we lock up.  We can put cameras on every cop and every corner, but none of it will get to the root of the problem.

The only way things really get better is when the change comes to our hearts.  There’s only one person who can do that.  His name is Jesus.  As His church, we must get back to that message.  We need to get busy spreading the plain simple truth that Jesus died to safe us and that following Him is the only way to find peace.  He arose, and He lives!  He will give us life again if we will only let Him in.  We don’t need more laws.  We don’t need more speeches.  We don’t need more protests.  We need Jesus.  Only Jesus.

I want us to take some time to pray on Sunday for our city and for our nation.  We will pray for peace.  We will pray for unity.  We will pray for revival.  We’ll ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in doing our part.

Love y’all!

Larry