What is it??
We are sitting on our couch watching a show and then it goes off. Maybe a commercial interrupts it, maybe a news broadcast interrupts it (during football season in my house growing up that could set off World War III... SO scary), or maybe it's just time for another show to air...
No matter what the interruption is panic ensues until we can find that daggum remote!
And oh the joy, NAY!! The utter euphoria that comes from flipping that station to something that better satisfies our entertainment pleasure.
The IT we are guilty of is changing the channel.
Obviously switching stations isn't a problem. We all pay our own cable bill (or Netflix for those of us on a budget) so why does it matter what I watch or when I decide I want to watch something else?
I have a theory. It is really changing the way I view my remote and more than that it has shown me that my remote has become a god- one that I rely on to make me feel better and live altered from reality.
Two weeks ago I began seeing a news article begin circulating on my newsfeed. It started with one post by one friend and then within three days I couldn't scroll very far down my newsfeed without seeing this article (or one related to it) every few inches.
I SAW it- title and all. And you know what I did. I ignored it.
I just kept scrolling. I even had the nerve to click on some useless link to look at "Epic Fails-Tattoo Addtion"
Do you know what the article was that I ignored? I'm SO ashamed to admit it. The title was:
"Leader: ISIS is 'Systematically Beheading Children' in 'Christian Genocide'"
Yea.
Right now one of two things is happening in your mind. One you are glaring at me and angry that a minister would be so inhumane as to not be informed of what is happening with her Christian brothers and sisters OR, two you are realizing you are in the same position as me.
I changed the channel to appease my entertainment. I didn't want to be sad. And if I didn't know I am not responsible.
The word that was screaming at me every time I ignored the link to that article was WRONG!! You ARE accountable.
I read that article. I've seen pictures (not that I searched but they are circulating as well).
If I'm my brothers keeper, as the Bible says, I'm responsible to do something.
I don't know what to do but pray. And even in that I'm not sure how to pray.
But I know that this story matters. My family is being murdered. Little ones are dying.
I've watched just in the past month so much drama on Facebook alone. I've watched kids attack kids, adults attack kids, adults attacking adults. I've even seen it happen and these people try to put God in their corner. I've been guilty of doing the same.
I can't be quiet anymore, though. We are selfish- defending ourselves by hurting others to prove we are right and they are wrong.
All the while people are dying for serving the same Jesus that we take too lightly- the guy we use as our personal boxing gloves.
Maybe right now the best thing we can do is pray. But the second best thing we could do is stop our foolishness and our silly drama and realize the bigger picture- it's not about ME! Maybe the church can help by rising up and realize that God wasn't created for us but we were created for Him!
We have to stop changing the channel to something that makes us feel/look/sound better. We have to put our stations on Jesus and crush our remotes.
Together we can unite and pray for those being persecuted and serve Jesus in a way that doesn't make their deaths in vain.
I'm still at a loss for a better way to help those who are in desperate need. But until God sends something my way to do I'm just going to shout His goodness and realize I'm nothing and He is everything. That's what my family is dying for. That's what I'm going to live for.
(I pray after reading this if you aren't keeping up with what is happening in N. Iraq that you will become informed. Prayers are needed and the more we know the more effective we can be as far as intercession. If you would like some resources as to where you can read up on what's happening feel free to email me and I will send you what I have.)