I was just speaking with a young pastor friend whose sister was in the concert at the Las Vegas massacre.  To see his tears as he recounted some of terror and trauma that his sister expressed to him brought this whole tragedy to a new level of reality for me.  I have spent many hours in prayer for our nation in recent days and I know that the root issue for the overwhelming darkness that is gripping our nation has its roots in the spiritual lives of our people.  We as a nation are reaping the fruit of our choices.  We worship violence in this nation in so many ways.  We have turned our backs on civility and love.  We empower hatred at amazing levels in all our social media.  We need to come before God and take responsibility for our actions. Only a move of God can change our nation.  Only God’s church can lead in bringing that move.

We, the Church of Jesus Christ, need to be a repentant people.  This passage from the book of Joel, chapter 2, speaks to us of Gods willingness to forgive and heal.

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,

“return to me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart

and not your garments.

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love…

We need to be a people who come before our God, alone and with our churches, and cry out to God for mercy and grace for this time of severe need.  I am not saying in calling for our repentance that God is sending these terrible situations into our midst.  I believe that we as a nation have invited destruction onto ourselves by our repeated and deliberate sins.  God at this point, is simply allowing us to reap the fruit of our choices!  We have turned our backs on God and His favor and protection is lifting off our nation in shocking ways.  We must humble ourselves, stand in the gap for our people and nation, and cry out to God for mercy, healing and revival.

We must also be a people who practice repentance!  God wants us as His church to move among the people of our nation and lead in showing and sharing His love. The one new command that Jesus gave us was to love one-another as He has loved us. This was seen in many ways being manifest by those who cared for and protected the souls whose lives were in danger at the Las Vegas shooting.  I read of one older man who literally threw his body over a young woman and her child to protect them, ready to die that they might live.  I have no idea if this man was a Christian, but he acted like one!

My dear friends and loved ones, we truly need to repent and manifest a repentant heart in this nation today or we will not like our tomorrows.  Fix your eyes on Jesus and let your hearts be broken for the sins of our nation. Unite together where ever you can and cry out to God for mercy.  Then, go and do what He shows you. Blessings to you all.