spent the weekend in ny, ny. flew into la guardia on 9/11. surreal. i stood at the wtc and watched people move throughout the city streets, everyone of us with the same sense of reverence mixed with uncertainty. i walked to the site of the proposed mosque on park and on the way found myself in front of the WTC cross on broadway. do you remember the image of the cross that still stood days after the rubble of 9/11? it had brought hope to so many firefighters and onlookers in the ashes of death and destruction. now that same cross stood over me and thousands of others as we passed by, many stopping in silence to remember the hope we ALL have in the God who suffers on our behalf so that we will not be at war with each other and within ourselves.
i ventured up to park and noticed that police had shutdown the street where the proposed mosque would be built. thankfully, the police stood guard, as there were fears that some foolish american or radical hate-zealot would attempt something dastardly. i thought to myself how tragic and beautiful that we live in an amazing country where freedom of speech is allowed for all. truly, this means hate will be spewed, but we cannot allow fear to become the overarching narrative of our times b/c no matter who is threatening violence, it is unacceptable to God when anyone plots evil upon his/her neighbor. As He passes in front of Moses, God calls Himself "the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love." Exodus 34:6. and Jesus reflects the very face of God by telling all of us, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" matthew 5:43-45." no matter where we are from, or what we believe, Jesus tells us we are loved. and those who have received this love are called to reflect Christ's love to everyone...even if there are disagreements about how to live here on this earth. violence cannot change a heart, only love can move us to take care of each other and accept responsibility for our own individual choices. behind the curtain of time waits the Eternal One, who is the only wise Judge. He alone knows the heart of a man and He alone can see if it is filled with His love or with the evil of man's hatred.
i for one am trying every day to open my heart to love.
1 comment:
I love it when God cheers you from the sidelines! I just posted a bit on where love and forgiveness collide, and although it has nothing to do with where your post began, I am amazed to see that we came to very similiar conclusions. Apparently I needed to know I was on the right path. If love was strong enough to lead me in, I must trust it is strong enough to lead me on my way out. I simply need to be willing to be the change I want to see.
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