Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I’m watching with a sense of horror and dread the riots and demonstrations in the UK – I am in the process of writing something more about the breakdown of law and order in the UK – but a nation where the government does not enforce the rule of law is one that is rapidly reaching the end. I thought about that here in Sydney – where after months of largely excellent self-discipline, the social contract was broken when the law courts, terrified of the mob, ruled a gathering of 20,000 legal. People can’t go to funerals, can’t gather to worship God, or watch footie – but they can apparently march through a city centre, shoulder to shoulder. Whatever happens now lockdown is over – the moral authority of those who asked for it has disappeared. I noticed that this weekend. Everyone’s had enough and many are clearly just thinking – so what…if BLM activists can do what they want – why can’t we?
The pictures of the rioting were one thing – the picture of Donald Trump taking a photo op with a bible was another. I am reading through the homilies of Chrysostom at the moment – and this week I came across this apt quote in his homily on John 4
“For which of you when in his house takes some Christian book in hand, and goes over its content and searches the Scriptures? None can say that he does so, but with most we shall find draughts and dice, but books nowhere, except among a few. And even these few have the same disposition as the many; for they tie up their books, and keep them always put away in cases, and all their care is for the fineness of their parchments, and the beauty of the letters, not for reading them. …The Scriptures were not given for this only, that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts”. Chrysostom – Homily on John 4:13-14
These things lay heavy on my heart and sometimes I just cry to the Lord, “How long O Lord? How long?”. I can see what is happening in the US, UK and here in Australia – and it’s not an aberration. This is the result of a pattern and trajectory which if it continues will only get a lot worse. As the nations – who have known great blessings from the Lord – and have largely been founded on his word – reject that word, they are also rejecting those blessings. I was very burdened by this when I was walking in the nearby Artemon reserve. I love to go and sit here, to pray, meditate and think. This week I was down there, and my reading was from Deuteronomy 8:6-7.
“Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land – a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;”
It made me deeply thankful. My concern is to observe the commands of God, walk in obedience to him and revere him. He has brought me into a good land. We are deeply thankful.
Another thing I am thankful for are a couple of new discoveries (to me!). The Apple EarPods are genius. And Spotify is such a gift. It seems to know what I like – I have discovered some great new blues music. For example – Gary Clark
And then this brilliant version of ‘Will the Circle be Unbroken?”. This is usually played as a kind of ‘yee hah’ C and W song when in reality it is better as a Blues song. This came through my EarPods when I was cycling home one day – I almost fell off my bike with joy. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I hope that this coming week – as the continuing disintegration of our society continues, as having sown the wind we are beginning to reap the whirlwind; that you will know the joy, presence and peace of the Lord,
See you next week,
David
Letter from Australia 45 – Don’t Look Back in Anger
David,
I hear your “how long”. I was thinking to myself last night that I want to be dead. Don’t worry, I’m not going to actively do anything and I’m not ill with depression. It is perhaps more a case of something not unlike the apostle Paul saying it’s better for him to be with the Lord but while he is on earth there is work for him to do.
Yes – I get what you are saying with the law and fear of the mob. Again, being in the midst of it here the anger is palpable. Heaven knows I have felt the anger as well. It seems that the news with Dominic Cummings and him doing “instinctively what a father would do” has resulted in many believing in being instinctive. And though officially still in lockdown and the many being adherent to lockdown restrictions there are “exceptions” such as going to the beach or taking part in a protest apparently in the eyes of some.
I don’t know if you have seen the hysteria with the police being knocked off a horse? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89diMZg-uCA
Here’s a video of former BLM leader Chaziel Sunz claiming that there are hidden far left political powers controlling the narrative and the BLM movement has been compromised to manipulate the emotions of black people in order to be “slaughtered”. He says, “the conversation is so much bigger than the race issue… the people on the left are trying to get you to do their dirty work… I ain’t tryin’ to make this about race ‘”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKa5P-Da4kM
So we know when the right goes too far – we can name and shame it as racism. How do we know when the left has gone too far? I suggest it starts when someone screams “racist” at anyone using the phrase “all lives matter”.
If there were true equality, diversity, inclusion and tolerance someone would be able to say “all lives matter” and no-one would bat an eyelid but would simply acknowledge this as a statement of truth in keeping with article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, holding it to be self evident that all are born with equality and dignity ans should relate accordingly. Or that all have dignity and equality, from being created in the image of God and when God created humans, he saw it was good.
The hyperbole you have used of “war” has been for effect, I understand that. We are not in a military war literally. However the kind of leadership the country needs now is more Winston Churchill than Neville Cambelain. Churchill, you may recall lifted the country’s moral with his “we will fight them on the beaches” speak when it was demoralised in the face of possible German invasion.
Now we are faced with what the apostle Paul called fighting the goof fight of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of turning what is ugly into beauty. Of alchemising pain and suffering into laughter and joy.
Discernment is needed. The devil masquerades as an angel of light.
https://antioligarch.wordpress.com/2020/06/06/the-manufactured-crisis-of-police-racism/
The world is a broken and sinful place, and we cannot escape from the evidence of that in every possible example. Certainly we need a rescue….our current world leaders…inspire nothing but despair and head shaking in disbelief at what they do next. Really it’s unbelievable. However I hold on to, “hope thou in God” nothing else will do!
Thank you for this, David, and I agree. For the UK, the first big blow to the social contract on social distancing was the Cummings sage, but the mass protests this weekend signal a further shattering of it.
As for Trump outside St John’s, I can’t stop the words of Gal 6:7-8 echoing in my head – “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
So when consoling a family who has lost a child, are we going to tell them “well, all children matter” as if they shouldn’t feel their own child’s death more than another’s? If yes – would we still do it if that child had been tortured and murdered?
There is a time to preach the equality of all humans (though it’s odd the ones most eager to insist “all lives matter” at the moment are the same whose actions the rest of the time do not suggest they really believe it): and a time to acknowledge the particular pain of one particular family or group – particularly when it involves repeated and unrepentant injustices crying out to Heaven.
Ignore, belittle and suppress with violence the call for justice long enough, and it will lose sight of justice and seek for vengeance instead. And the subsequent war between two injustices seems to be exactly what the various parties of the ungodly are anticipating with undisguised relish.
BLM is an organisation not a truth. Of course Black lives matter (and it’s not as you say a reposte to say that all lives matter). The problem is that for BLM -not all Black lives matter. They are remarkably silent about the deaths of those who do not fit their Marxist narrative…
Hi David, a few thoughts.
My wife runs an organisation which, among other things, supports and mentors youngsters with “issues”. One of her team, a young man “A”, is black, born in the west midlands, and was on the edge of gang culture as a youth. He became a strong Christian and came out of it all. He is largely uneducated (although he knows his bible), but is the most emotionally intelligent person I have ever met, and very insightful. He is fantastic with the kids – he can read them like a book, and as a mentor is in constant demand from the police, social workers and schools. (I think he can read me like a book too!)
During the current BLM situation he is constantly being asked by community leaders to join them (since he has become quite well known), and is getting frequent requests from the media for interviews.
He has resolutely refused to join the mayhem for a number of reasons, one of which is that he works closely with a police team aiming to protect vulnerable kids from the pressure to join gangs (and become runners). He has huge respect for the local police, as they do for him.
He knows the black community very well (he has grown up in it obviously), and he spoke to my wife today and says that there are three issue involved. One is the virus which appears to be far more dangerous for the ethnic communities, and this is generating real fear for all age groups. The second is Brexit. With the current economic chaos, and the furlough finances coming to an end many are terrified that “no deal” will result in widespread unemployment. Again the ethnic communities are most vulnerable. These fears are genuine.
But the fear these two issues have generated has turned into anger, and BLM are milking this for their own agenda (they are a Marxist organisation dedicated to destabilising society, and the overthrow of capitalism).
From a Christian point of view, A is quite sure that there are powerful spiritual principalities behind the current situation, milking and using the fear and anger, and that Christians need to wake up to the real situation (although the traditional church denominations are completely supine – my view not A’s).
I find the the pictures of individuals, including policemen, “bowing the knee” to the BL M agenda deeply disturbing. This is not because I am racist – I am most definitely not – all racism is vile. But because I think there is a spiritual dimension to this which, although is portrayed as something virtuous is, in fact, quite evil.
As Christians we know that there is only one Name before which every knee will bow.
Matthew 4, 8-10
Lord have mercy.
No doubt similar utterances were heard during the World Wars, and during the Watts riots and more recently (2011) the London riots.
It is merely letting off steam, so comments such as this are neither prophetic or even new, and certainly not helpful in the least.
The circus always leaves town … eventually. This show will run its course.
And as you seem to like blues orientated music with a religious tinge, how about Presence of the Lord, Eric Clapton?
https://youtu.be/BFlgDeA6Wog
These are the direct words of “A”, a black young man (as above), posted on his Instagram page. Please remember that, although he is highly intelligent, he is not very educated. But his words are like arrows.
“Brexit- bringing spirit of uncertainty which is upsetting family home, affecting business and causing anger for people who do not have direction in there life.
COVID19- bring spirit of fear, sickness and death which is causing a powerful effect on people mental health and body.
Blacklifematter movement is bringing a spirit of division and opening up wounds that have not healed or wounds that they do not want to heal. Which turning people against there own and there neighbours which is dangerous for family who are mixed and Gods say house divided by itself cannot stand.
These 3 powerful method are carrying dangerous spirit which only holy spirit can rebuke and conquer and cast out.
But people have to want to be healed and to be set free as jesus always asked before he done anything do want to see and do you want to be heal as it on faith of other and individuals that bring deliverance. These are things church need to be praying against.
And the word that people manifesting on them self- I can’t breathe, hate police and so for If the motive peace then have to go to one that is peace which is Jesus
If it for change then have to go to one that got all answer to there question which is Jesus
If they seeking for justice then they have to go to God that never changing and a justful God which is Jesus” “A”