For this REALationship with God series, I had a topic to discuss each week but given the current climate of the world, I was convicted to write on what’s going on in our world today.
The video that surfaced, displaying the untimely death of George Floyd by the hands of FOUR police officers is heartbreaking to watch. There was a mixture of emotions for me, sadness, anger and confusion. Confusion because I couldn’t understand why God would allow this to happen to this innocent black man and why this continues to happen time and time again. Then, the days after his passing, people protested and protested…and protested. How can I take an issue as sad as this to really talk about a relationship with God?
Trust in God
Well, being in a relationship with God means we have someone to put our hope in. Though we may have may questions and be filled with a multitude of emotions, our hope is in God. When God is within, we understand the bigger picture. In my blog post, Adjust your Focus, I talked about how our focus needs to be adjusted from what’s going on around us to Jesus.
I listened to a voice note today that said we need to get ‘Back to Him’. It highlighted how 2020 brought us so many distractions that may have caused us to neglect our relationship with God but it’s time for us to go back to Him. And even in the midst of me doing this series about REALationship with God, I have fallen off with my walk with God. Ironic right? But the beauty of having a REALationship with God is that once we get back up again and seek God, He will be there ready to embrace us.
Justice
Is it right for us to attempt to take justice into our own hands or should we just keep praying about it? After all, that’s what Christians do right, pray about everything?
I read Proverbs 31 last week and for the first time verses 8-9 hit me. I don’t know, maybe it was because of all that’s going on in the world today but those 2 verses compelled me!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8-9 NIV
We have become so accustomed to using this chapter of the Bible as the Virtuous Woman chapter and sometimes we fail to acknowledge these 2 powerful verses. Here’s what I got from those verses.
Speak up for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and the other black men and women who died to the hands of racism, for the rights of all who have been systemically oppressed. SPEAK UP and Judge FAIRLY; defend the rights of black men and women who are living in a time where the colour of their skin seems to be a crime.
We are not called as Christians to just sit down and tell people to trust in God. As Christians we are called to be a light. We’re not called to hide our light under a bushel when serious issues happen in the world such as the killing of black men and women. Now more than ever, the church’s voice is needed. I listened to Pastor Steven Furtick discuss racial reconciliation with Pastor John Gray and they said a part of being the light means we need to SHED LIGHT on issues. So what should we be doing as the light? We should do what we can to effect change and speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
Practically, you can help by EDUCATING YOURSELF, signing petitions, sharing what’s going on on your social media accounts, watching videos that are raisin funds by you just watching them, donating funds to various Social Justice Projects, email US legislators to help get laws passed to make it safer for black people to live freely in the land of the not so free and my favourite, SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESS.
Movie Suggestions
The Hate U Give
Just Mercy
When They See Us
Selma
Petitions you can sign
George Floyd – https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/peti…
George Floyd – https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-…
George Floyd – https://t.co/ENgYhM2oEC
George Floyd – https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/ju…
Raise The Degree – https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/peti…
Raise The Degree – https://www.change.org/p/minneapolis-…
Breonna Taylor – https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/jus…
Breonna Taylor – https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/ju…
Ahmaud Arbery – https://www.change.org/p/federal-bure…
Ahmaud Arbery – https://www.change.org/p/human-rights…
Pass The Georgia Hate Crime Bill https://www.change.org/p/governor-bri…
Defund MPD https://secure.everyaction.com/eR7GA7…
Life Sentence For Police Brutality https://www.change.org/p/department-o…
Click here to support this UK petition for Belly Mujinga
Places you can donate
Justice for George Floyd: https://gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
Justice for Breonna Taylor: https://justiceforbreonna.org
I Run with Maud: https://gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
Protesters Bail Funds: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bai…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is hard! But if you’re truly in a REALationship with God, you will understand the importance of forgiveness. Look how the people treated Jesus yet He still forgave them! Look how we treat Jesus and neglect Him in our daily lives yet He still forgives us! So even when it’s hard for us to forgive those who have hurt us, remember that if Jesus is truly within we need to learn to forgive.
Kevin LeVar has a song that says, “I want a heart that forgives, a heart full of love. One with compassion just like yours above. One that overcomes evil with goodness and love…I want a heart that loves everybody even my enemies!”
Be blessed by the words of the song below.
As we try to work on developing a REALationship with God, remember to trust God, fight for justice and forgive. I pray that this blog post blessed you.
Post some black owned businesses, other petitions and movie suggestions in the comments!
Schar's Mind 