Am I going too far? I don’t think so. Let us back up to the words of Jesus. You know… the red words that mean they came straight from His mouth to the heart of every disciple down through the ages: You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Matthew 5:21-22 (NKJV) Ouch again! You might say, “But I have a good reason to be angry with so and so!” I hope so because if not, you are in danger of the judgment. God gets to decide the case and bring the gavel down, not you! I have found few reasons to stay angry with anyone. Oh, my flesh tries, but it never wins. GET OUT THE YELLOW TAPE AGAIN! Let us dare not lift up our hands to God while they are stained with blood! It’s time we allowed God to pluck out the seeds of anger and hatred that breed a harvest of death and destruction in our churches and homes. We must stop our own raging and ranting about the death and lawlessness that has reigned. It’s time to get busy looking for opportunities to bring life to those who will no longer have the quick fix of abortion. It’s time to support life-affirming politicians. This is the year to plant seeds of life, scattering them richly around our neighborhoods, communities, and this nation. This is the year to trade the yellow tape for life-giving seed. Let us mark out places to plant a garden of hope for future generations. Brandon Lake wrote a song in 2020 that won the Dove Award for song of the year. It was entitled, “Graves into Gardens.” I think this is a very fitting title for us today. Can we be the generation that turns graves into gardens? Can we be the ones that sow life? It might take time, but if we are patient farmers, we will reap a bountiful harvest of life! Now is the time. God is giving us favor. This is the year… less yellow tape, more beautiful gardens. — Doreen Strohm Doreen Strohm
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQxMw==