Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wars and Rumors of Wars

I cannot fathom the horrors of war. I don't think anyone can. Not until you are dropped into a battlefield in a foreign land can you understand the depths of evil that human beings can bring upon each other. Yet we are surrounded by war, Syria, Palestine, North Korea, Afghanistan, Congo, Uganda, Iraq, Somalia and closer to home the gang wars in Chicago, LA, the USA/Mexico Border, closer yet to home the tragedy of the homeless, the overwhelmed foster systems, the bloodshed of the unborn.



The blood cries out, the sands are stained crimson as the life pours out. The DNA of humans permeates the soil as unsuspecting men's foot steps trod over  silent screams. How can this be when we have been instructed to love one another? When we have been instructed:

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? I Jn 4:20
I listen to the news nightly as over a hundred children are killed every year in Chicago, This statistic has held steady year after year, mayor after mayor, law to monitor guns, laws to out law guns, nothing has stopped the blood shed in the Chicago streets. The city that I was born in. This was spotlighted when just a little more than week after being invited to the White House Hadiya Pendleton died of a gunshot wound just a block away from the President's Chicago Home.

I learned to look into the eyes of the homeless when I first met my father. A slight man, barely over a hundred pounds, with matted hair down to his waist and an equally matted beard that reached his bellybutton, stared at me from his hospital bed. Stared at me with the same signature blue eyes that I had caught people off guard with all my life. Yes this was my father and instead of looking away I looked deeper to understand the harsh life of homelessness on the beaches of California.

I listened to Pastor Richard, who lived through the regime of Idi Amin in Uganda. He led a godless assault against the Christians for 8 years 1971 - 1979 taking the lives of hundreds of thousands of Christians.

I listened to Pastor Sami Naik tell of the assault the Hindus led on the Christians in Orissa, India on Christmas Eve of 2007. Pastors were killed in the streets so others my fear, women were raped, churches were burned. Years of work were destroyed in one evil night.

Motivated by the hate of the Christian religion, both Hindu and Muslims shed the blood of Christian brothers and sisters. Those same brothers and sister sit under the altar of God and say;
....How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Rev 6:10
When will it all end??? When will I turn on the TV and not see death, disease and destruction?
Unfortunately,  the Bible tells me that I will continue to hear of wars and rumors of wars;

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Mt 24:6
See that you be not troubled..... how do you do that? How can you not be troubled?  I am troubled and God help me to quiet myself before the Lord. Have you seen the horrific scenes of the men, women and children that have been killed in Syria? How can you not be troubled? God I am crying out to you to settle me because I am troubled. My eyes fill up and over flow with tears. I cannot hear of the suffering on the shores across the world and shut up my bowels of compassion.  I cannot see the needs of the orphans and widows in Pakistan and turn away my ear from hearing. I cannot pass another homeless person and wonder if they have a child looking for their parent like I was. Lord you must hear our cries, Lord you must comfort our hearts, Lord come quickly......

6 comments:

  1. amen halleluyah..my heart is there with you as i read this..so very true and heartfelt..the people need to know..they need to know what hatred is going on in this country..and need to help each other..I am praying in this moment that God will open the eyes of the people and make them see the pain..the suffering ..and for just a small instance...feel it..really understand it..and pray...pray..Come quickly Lord jesus..love you my sister...I am soo homesick...hugs

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  2. See that ye not be troubled. Thank you for that word. As compassionate, loving people it is hard to not feel these things. Recently I watched a terrible act of persecution that troubled me deeply. Because of the empathy and compassion I felt I also felt the fear the victim must have felt; but then fear had a little momentary hold on me.I was troubled for the rest of the day with a feeling of "fear".... I remembered we are to fear not! Our comfort is always IN God and IN His precious word! I thought about being careful what I watch, hear and where I go, too. The enemy is so tricky and wants to use any way he can to devour us like a roaring lion! Alas, I digress a bit, but, Bless you Heidi for your compassion and tender heart and you're perfect word tonight. ***See that ye not be troubled***He will sustain us : ) Love in out Lord, dear sister.

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  3. Amen Heidi how can we not be trouble? I also was born in Chicago as I follow the news tears flow for the six month year old was hit by bullets as her father changed her diaper on the front seat. Five shots hit the Child,later to die at the Hospital.

    Every nation is getting Nukes, USA buying up bullets, the hate in men heart wanting war so badly. I pray for your Holy Spirit rest in me like never before and my fellow brothers/sisters in Christ to comfort us, for such as the need is so great.

    And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28

    Thank you Heidi I look forward to reading your blog,
    Love, Prayers, blessings to you Heidi and Family ♥♥♥

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  4. Amen Heidi, we cry out to You LORD, we are troubled, but in our affliction we find strength in You LORD, we cry out to You LORD, we find Your strength in our weakness... We find Your peace, God's peace, a peace surpassing all understanding; as our hearts and minds are protected in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 4:7) Praying for our family in Christ, in Jesus' mighty, precious and holy Name. Amen!

    Thank you Heidi, for sharing this powerful testimony and your blog... God bless you, Pastor Paul and your entire family! Keeping you all in my prayers! <3

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  5. Amen Heidi, your writing straight from the heart of Jesus. My heart groans over the same injustices. Come quickly Lord Jesus... May the Lord fill your heart with His peace, God bless you.

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  6. Praise the Lord you found your father OH my gosh:) I pray the Lord continue to do a quick work in you life and others. Kim

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