Monday, February 04, 2008

Heartache

The Days of Innocence were not the days of ignorance as some may declare in this postmodern world.

A time when kids were kids and adults were worth following and emulating;

A time when integrity was the norm and courtesy was not hurried.

A time when you set yourself apart and kids were not irritating;

A time when shame brought repentance and religion was not buried.

How long will we ignore the cries of our land?

Why do we turn to the works of our hands?

Our founding fathers with God took a stand,

Yet today we ignore them and declare a disband!

My heart aches and longs for a change;

God hears, equips and prepares me for battle.

God moves those who are willing;

Those clothed in His armor rather than a rattle.

Growing in God's grace and knowledge I commit;

Reverence to God and belief in His Word.

Move me to Your glory oh God I submit;

I recognize Your heavenly righteousness and eternity of worth!

My heart aches for the Days of Innocence Lord…

Hear our cries, have mercy, forgive us and move us according to Your Word!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful. I couldn't agree more. Specifically where you speak of "A time when shame brought repentance and religion was not buried", what are your thoughts on repentance and churches shunning people?

Anonymous said...

First of all, I want to apologize for not answering earlier. The person that posted the comment originally may not even read this reply, but someone else may... for that reason I reply:

I was asked what my thoughts are on repentance and churches shunning people. I'm glad to be part of a movement that has their beginnings in accepting people just as they are; Calvary Chapel started when the hippie movement was in full stride. They were the outcasts at the time and the older generation could not, and unfortunately made no effort to connect with them in any way. That wasn't the case with Calvary Chapel... they reached out to the hippies and still reach out to the people that others will not.

2Corinthians 5:17 says that "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new."

Peter said in 2Peter 3:9, "The Lord...is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

I want to point out two things: 1)The Lord wants everyone to come to repentance, not just the people we think should; and, 2) if you're born of the Spirit then you are a new creation and the old sin nature doesn't have the same power it once had.

What I'm saying with all of this is that if the Bible tells us that true repentance brings newness of life and it is available to all men, then shunning people from the very truth that will set them free from sin is sin itself.

The Word is not tolerance in moderation but rather determines what is tolerable. So, if grace is poured out to all who are willing to turn from their sin and receive Jesus as Lord; then the church also must follow suit and not turn away people from hearing what God says to them is truth. There's power in the Word for it does not return void... it transforms lives!