Let it Rain

No sect of society has been exempt, however, as custom rules, dictates, or governs our lives, we fall prey to denial..."there's no violence in my family."

It's easy to say the spiritual death is the lesser of the two, yet I contend that it is not. For it is through this spiritual death, that pain and retaliation take place, usually on others. Thus creating a cyclical, and somewhat spontaneous event which may or may not be stopped. This cycle is manifested, if the individual is not rooted correctly, in homes throughout America in the form of family violence. It's manifestation equates to death...the destruction of a people.

When the Israelite, Jacob, lead his people to Egypt, no slavery existed among them. Yet, when their number began to swell, their security, so thought the Egyptians, became endangered for they knew this people belonged to the Lord. Thereafter came a king who because of this fear, oppressed these people.

If I enslave a people to fear, the people cease to be powerful...fear rules them and they become irrational and pragmatic, which leads to poor planning and poor decision making.

Fear serves as a tool to capture you hearts and minds, rendering you virtually inept. Vision becomes distorted, and direction is hindered from any progress; regression begins.

If we are a people of change and struggle, sacrifice and faith, I can see little sign of it.

The problem, then, is foundational. If one wishes to build a house, what does he do first? First, the land is prepared to support and accept the foundation which it is meant to hold. Second, the foundation itself is prepared, using the best materials (if it is to be made right), then mixed and poured into it's mold, and left to harden. Lastly, a structure is built. The same is true for us, there is a preparation period that must take place prior to any foundation pouring, or the building of any structure. Let us go back to our foundations and examine them well, for in them we are surely to find faults.

The Word of God is to be our foundation on which every part of our life must rest and reside. It is our anchor, created to hold us in place so God can do His perfect work both in and around us. Fear sets us in a vain of carelessness and cautious anxiety. The thought of the unknown perplexes and perpetuates our desire to "flee from" problems, persecution and pain. In our fleeting, panic overtakes and leads our hearts (just as a Shepard leads his flock of sheep) to make irrational and unreasonable choices, yielding in unwanted outcomes. Floundering in our frustration and failure, we seek remedies to soothe our aching hearts. Sexual promiscuity, solitude, suffering and shame become regular and routine practices. These devices, used to mask us from one another, backfire continuously, causing relational hurt between spouses, friends and families. Seeking amelioration, we turn to God in prayer (asking for forgiveness). We turn to Him as one looks to a lawyer for hired advice or representation. We go to God for help and resolution to our turbulent and troubled lives.

Turning our perspective to temporal things, we become selfish about our relationship with God. The Lord wants our pilgrimage, with him, to be one of a personal and loving nature, not one of demands. If the source of our strength be made known, let them know that it's roots originate with realizing a real and relevant relationship with God. Through cultivating this relationship; tending to it's every need, one may be able, then, to experience the joy and permanent peace of the Lord. Paul writes in his letter to Philippi, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 Being a participant in a relationship with the Lord entitles you to these benefits. One is then able to know God and His ways...His character.

Relationships, therefore, exist on a foundation not of selfishness and solitude, but of humility and servitude. This is the essence of things past, present, and future. Upon servitude, respect, adoration, and love for one another may be established. Each person seeking to meet the other's needs, relationships are formulated on a firm foundation on which strength may be realized through trust and love for one another.

There is a strong correlation between our worship and relationships with others. The manner in which we engage Worship typifies our commitment level to people in our lives, God included. Worship requires certain things in order to be successful. Commitment, sacrifice, trust, to name a few, are all needed and necessary ingredients to any worship. Likewise, personal relations carry these same essentials.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's, roots (or knowledge of God's person) ran deep. Illustrated throughout Genesis, these men had real relationships with the Lord. When God told Abraham to go up to the mountain with his son, Isaac, and two servants to make a sacrifice, he did as God instructed, believing that God would keep his promise of providing a sacrifice (besides Isaac). It was during the act of sacrificing his son (to provide atonement; the remission of sin by the shedding of blood), (note the symbolism) that God's angel called out to Abraham saying,"...Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thy any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, from me." Genesis 22:12