Participating in an opposing view discussion about this election – especially so close to “E” day (Election day) may cause hands to shake, voices to elevate and faces to turn red. Passion flows like rivers.
I’ve tried to see both sides and like others I’ve wished we could all calm down and just talk and pray, pray, pray. Today while having breakfast with friends (who agree with my views) a rousing discussion of the issues caused all of us to take it up a notch. My friend looked around and leaned to the middle of the table. He whispered, “I think we are a little too loud.” Passion flows like rivers.
I have a 3 month old grand-daughter. I held her just a few days after birth. I can still see that sweet face, those tiny fingers and beautiful smile. She trusted me completely as I held her and listened to her breathe. I hate any form of abortion. Yet scrolling through Facebook produces a myriad of graphic videos and pictures that I can’t get out of my mind. My grand-daughter’s face is superimposed over the image of an unknown dying infant. It’s too much and makes my blood boil. I can’t imagine any doctor being so monstrous as to kill an innocent/helpless infant just moments before their first breath. When I think of it, I want to fight for that child as only a warrior can. Passion is rising.
Yes, I understand that at times abortion may be necessary in order to save the mother. But I seriously doubt (no, I’m not a doctor) that the ten seconds needed for that final moment of birth is going to kill the mother. By that time both baby and child have reached a state of separation that would not demand one death in favor of the other. Read these Facts. Reading Dr. McMahon’s account of how he has done thousands of partial birth abortions and sometimes wonders just before killing the baby, “Gee, too bad this child couldn’t be adopted.” but still kills the baby anyway….. Wave of Passion flowing now!!!
I better stop and pray for a moment because my blood pressure is about 450/200 right now.
Prayer has calmed me down but I’m left wondering…..is my passion caused by the ideas on the other side or is there something else?
PASSION is both our savior and our enemy. Like fire or water passion can serve both sides. Fire can cook your dinner or “out of control” it can burn down your house. Water can wash your dishes or drown your dog.
This election has caused a flood of emotions on both sides and the current is taking some people under. Gasping for air they grab at illogical reasoning to hang on to their view. That illogical reasoning causes ill tempered threats and out of control destruction of relationships.
What is driving all this out of control passion on both sides? We’ve discussed before -Fear drives passion. Both sides fear that their way of life is going to be disrupted or completely changed.
The only answer is to eliminate fear. But how do you eliminate fear if you see Evil as I do? I believe that true evil has one goal. It – must – conquer. If a person or an ideology is truly evil, it will do anything to rise to the top and to conquer. It will lie. It will deceive. It will make elaborate plans of conspiracy. At all costs, it must rule. What else can we do but fight back?
The lead question of this post, Is Christian Passion important? – must be answered with a loud and strong Absolutely!
Christian passion is important. As Edmund Burke said, “All that evil needs to succeed is that good men do nothing.” What a powerful statement. If we put blinders on, cover our ears and wear duct tape over our mouth – evil will succeed. He also said, “Nothing is as fatal to religion as indifference.” If Christians are indifferent to our faith, our beliefs, our prayers, our society and our government…..then Christianity is rushing out the back door.
Progress is not evil. We are flawed humans and any progress we can make to become more loving and more like our heavenly father is the right thing to do.
We must remember however, that Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV John 10:10) Our passion must have God’s goals in order to be spiritually successful.
Passion is at it’s best when it falls in line with Jesus. There is a time to fight for what is right – Jesus did. In Matthew 10 Jesus discusses the division that will come to families and communities when the law of God is introduced. Like a sword he will not cause peace but division. “Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) There is a time to have passion for the things we see coming that may hurt us or the work of God.
However, we must know the difference in when to act and when not to. That knowledge can only be found while on our knees in prayer! Knowing what type of action will help our cause and create good feelings about our passion can only be understood while on our knees in prayer!
Don’t abuse Christian Passion. Use it for good! Be like our Father in Heaven. Fight the fight he wants you to fight and then…..again…..eliminate fear with complete trust in God.
He’s got this, I promise!
Dear Jesus, as the election moves closer it seems our fear, our passion and our voices are ramping up out of fear. “God can do this” is a battle cry we yell but at this point it has not pierced our hearts. Like a spoiled child, out of control and afraid of the demands he/she will face – we scream for others (even you) to stop the things we are afraid to face.
Please Jesus, assure your children that you will care for us no matter what. We are afraid. We worry that our freedoms will be ripped from our lives and our churches. We are afraid that even more children will be murdered. We are afraid that we will be forced to endure persecution. We are afraid that life will not allow us to live the way we have. We are afraid that lawlessness will grip our land. We are afraid….and that fear is rampart on both sides.
Assure us that you will not leave us, nor will you forsake us. Assure us that you will give us strength to handle whatever comes. Assure us that you will call on all the angels of Heaven to intervene to help us and to guide us through the future. Give us peace. Give us love for each other. Give us strength. Give us rest. Give – us – peace.
See you tomorrow.