What are the Christians Saying?

Here is a quote from the book "The Irresistable Revolution." Shane Claiborne is talking about his trip to Irag during the heat of the war.


The bishop went on to tell me that the church in the Middle East was deeply concerned about the church in the United States. He said, "Many Americans are for this war."
I nodded.
And He asked, "But what are the Christians saying?"
My heart sank. I tried to explain to him that many of the Christians in the US are confused and hope that this is a way God could liberate the Iraqi people.
He shook his head and said, very humbly, "But we Christians do not believe that. We believe 'blessed are the peacemakers.' We believe that if you pick up the sword, you die by the sword. We believe in the cross." Tears welled up in my eyes as he said, "We will be praying for you. We will be praying for the church in the US. . . to be the church."" (Claiborne, 212)

"But what are the Christians saying?"

This line didn't really jump out at me while reading the book, but when I heard it on the audio book sometime later, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Here is a man who is a Christian, living in a "Muslim" nation, getting bombed by a "Christian" nation, talking with a Christian from the "Christian" nation, asking him what the other Christians in the "Christian" nation are saying about the war. He couldn't understand how the Christians in America would sit in silence while the non-Christians did this to his country. Little did he know that a bulk of the support of the war came from the very people he thought were on his side, and that many of the soldiers driving by in there Humvees were Christians as well. Being from Iraq, he has probably lived in "terror" most of his life. Here he is though, in the middle of bombs landing all around him, seeing not just the terrorist getting hit, but also hospitals and civilian homes, and he quotes Jesus. He says "'blessed are the peacemakers.' We believe that if you pick up the sword, you die by the sword. We believe in the cross." America was hit with one terrorist attack and immediately cried out for justice, revenge, no matter what the cost, and I was right there with them. Where were the Christians saying "Hold on, aren't we supposed to love our enemies? Aren't we supposed to pray for those who persecute us?" It's been eight years, and I have finally started realizing that our country did not listen to Jesus' teachings. My stance on these issues have been changing. I guess you can say that the bishop's prayer, "We will be praying for the church in the US. . . to be the church" is being answered. I join his prayer, and hope that through our love we can help spread the Love of Christ.

Control

Somehow thunderstorms make me think of God. I really love a good storm, it’s calming. I get all giddy when I feel that crisp air, that gentle feeling when the sky gets dark before the first drops fall. Then the downpour follows, with the flashes of lightning. It’s a thing of beauty, with a musical score of thunder and wind. It’s really God’s creativity at it’s finest. One can’t help but stand in awe of the one who imagined it all. Then there’s a different kind of storm, a bigger scary version. The kind that can flatten an entire town, and this kind draws me to a different side of God. Not to his marvel and splendor side, but to his refuge and comfort side. I think it’s because of the loss of control. As a child when storms came, the really big, scary kind, I truly felt helpless. I saw that my dad, the one who protected me, couldn’t stop the roof from coming off or a tree from flying into my room, and it worried me. Where else do you find safety? So I learned to ask God to take control. Prayer was always involved during storms with my family. We would ask God to protect us from what was out of our hands. We could find rest and comfort in him. It placed a belief in my heart that God is here for me, which is a good belief for anyone to have. Now, I think that this is a very easy way I can put my trust in him. What do I have to lose in this situation by trusting God? Nothing, or at least nothing I have control over. If God answers this prayer, I am safe, which makes believing in his power to ward off storms very easy.

What about the areas of our lives we have control over? When was the last time I asked God to help in an area of my life that wasn’t beneficial to me? What if giving him control means I can lose somehing? I am making enough money to live comfortably, why do I need God’s help here, why would I want him to control that aspect of my life? I’ve trusted that He can save me from the storm, but I’ll stay in charge of the finances, I wouldn’t want to lose control over that. He might want me to give away more money, or force me to live a little more simple, and that’s just too scary. And I already have great friends, why do I need to hang out with this other person, he’s a little different, that would definitely knock off some cool points. It seems to me that for some reason I’ve taken the comforts that God places in my life as basic rights, not recieved them as a precious gifts. Shouldn’t I realize that the money isn’t even mine in the first place, or that maybe there’s more to who I hang out with than how fun it is for me? Do I really believe I am entitled to feel safe and comfortable all the time? Have I taken a relationship with the Creator of the universe for granted, simplified it to asking for money, keeping me out of akward situations, and begging him not to blow my house down? I really hope not. Yes I believe God is here for me, no I don’t think it’s selfish to ask God to spare your house. I’m just hoping that’s not all I believe He is here for. I’d like to believe that there’s a bigger story, one that tells of me working not for my will, but for His.

-Austin

Another World Could Be

So suddenly you've caught my eye
Beneath an empire and buildings-
they blocked the view for my whole life.
It's coming clear it's a call to die-
to this appetite of sanity-
they've pinned our wings so we can't fly.

I believe, I believe another would could be.
I believe, i believe His Kingdom is calling me.
I just never thought I'd see this clearly

So suddenly you've caught my eye.
And now my appetite is changing
I see life in an eternal light.
It's coming clear it's a call to die
To these same old boring stories.
Were meant to spread our wings and fly.

I call to you oh Sleeping Child,
come along, join this story that
He's written on our hearts.

-Brett