CHAPTER 16
A Moment of Silence
“And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. ‘Give us each day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’”” (Lu 11:1-4 NAS)
There is a feeling of exhilaration as we experience freedom and the ability to do as we please. The joy of this experience only finds fulfillment when what we wish to do is in the realm of our choosing. From the high moral ground we can experience this freedom without robbing someone else of their opportunity to also have freedom. Through our trust in God and His Word we learn to truly love and do good. Standing on this ground we can endure our life in this sin infested world while at the same time experiencing a freedom from the bondage it seeks to impose on us. We are citizens of an eternal kingdom even while we are dwelling in a world dominated by the influence of Satan. Prayer is our connection and the avenue of our essential communication with that eternal kingdom.
As an individual citizen in this eternal kingdom we recognize that each of us has purpose and meaning in our limited existence on Earth. Foremost, we are ambassadors of the love that emulates from that kingdom. Freed from the bondage of sin and death we are only bound by the Law of Love, and with joy we submit to its dictates. But our freedom is a freedom of spirit, and while we live on earth we are often physically bound by the dictates of evil men and the forces of nature in a broken world. As individuals against great odds our purpose would seem hopeless if it were not for our ability to connect with our heavenly kingdom that is not bound and knows no bounds. Is it any wonder that the forces of this world would try to restrict our prayers? Is it any wonder that they would try to intimidate us into limiting our prayers according to their dictates?
God created this world as a dwelling place for mankind. God gave Man dominion over all the Earth and everything herein. In Man’s arrogance people have often abused and misused this Earth and its resources. Mankind has attempted to build a kingdom of our own without regard for our Creator and Benefactor. In so doing, people are continually violating the Law of the Universe, the Law of God, which is Love.
But occasionally people are pulled up short and reminded that life is a gift, and that gift can vanish in a moment. Often we are confronted with the effects of unbridled lust and the death and destruction it brings. Often we are confronted with the forces of nature that render us helpless under its relentless power. Storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes often bring the hardest of souls to their knees. Standing before the lifeless bodies of those we cared for reminds us of our vulnerabilities and the reality of death.
All of our knowledge, all of our technology, all of the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot put humpty dumpty back together again. It is at these times that our human heart cries out for something bigger and greater than Man that would bring us comfort and hope. We cry out for meaning beyond the lifeless corpse in front of us. We cry out for hope, desiring something beyond the grave that will give us meaning and an end to suffering. It is in these times that even the ungodly pray, seeking comfort, seeking hope.
“For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.” (Ac 17:23 NAS)
Only God has the power and authority to call back a person into this earthly realm. On occasion He has done this to reveal to us who He is. But the message is to the living for it has been appointed for man to die and then the judgment. There is only one God, the Creator of all that is. But most people do not know Him. That does not mean that there are not a multitude of religions and false gods. Satan exists and there are demons, but they are not gods. Satan continues to entice people to play god in the world they live in, but that does not make them God. And then there are the gods that are the creation of people’s hands or their imagination, but they are not God.
Remember the definition of the Moral High Ground: right standing before God. If we are on this ground then we know God and recognize Him only as God. And yet I have heard those who claim the title of Christian to stand in a crowd and call for a moment of silence. I find this reprehensible. I understand that many have done this in ignorance and that is why I am striving to write this book. When we as people come to a junction in our lives when we acknowledge that we as people are helpless, we need to look to God. There was a time in this Christian nation that most people knew what that meant. But in our present politically correct culture most people do not. They have been taught that equal respect should be shown to everyone’s concept of god. A moment of silence is a call for everyone to reach out to their own god for hope and comfort. How can a Christian do that in good conscience?
We cannot cede the high ground. Coming down to their level brings no real hope or comfort. If we are to say anything, and we should, we should point people to their Creator and offer a prayer to the God of heaven. We can as Christians intercede for these people in their ignorance and pray for the grace of God to be present. We can as Christian cry for mercy and speak with the authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. These times of crisis are an opportunity to show our love for our fellow human beings and share with them the hope that God has given through Jesus Christ.
What we should NOT do is call for a moment of silence and show equal respect for the gods of man’s hand and their imagination, and the only true God who truly cares for them. Why would we pander to their politically correct culture? After all, politics do not exist in the kingdom of God. Why would we cede the high ground? On their level comfort is meaningless, for there is no hope in death without Jesus Christ. If you have truly come to know God through Jesus Christ, then stand your ground.
We need to take any opportunity afforded to us to point people to the only source of hope and comfort. Rather than asking for a moment of silence, we should request that we be allowed to call on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to graciously minister to those who are suffering. By simply requesting; “May I pray?” we may have opportunity to share the love of God. We have a standing before our heavenly Father that they do not have. Who knows what effect our expressions of faith will have at these crucial times in our lives? As Christians we know that what people need most during times of crisis, is Jesus. He is the only true source of hope and comfort.