Greeting FB Members and Friends
Thanks for joining me for another edition of Fine Points and welcome back. This is my second Fine Points message of the year and it happens to fall on Dr. MLK, Jr. weekend. For those of you who may not be aware, Dr. King was murdered 50 years ago in April. Much has changed since then in race relations and opportunities for people to make a better life for themselves and their families. The most disturbing aspect for me is the failure of many to make the most of the opportunities that have been afforded us.
The reasons for such failures are many and complex, but the fact that people by and large have forsaken the God of our fathers accounts for much of the economic and social despair we find ourselves in. When we forsake God’s law and commandments it opens the door for many problems and troubles that could have been avoided that increase the already difficult struggle to survive. The rich are getting richer and everyone else is completing for a piece of a shrinking slice of the economic pie.
At the time of his death, Dr. King was advocating for a fairer and just distribution of the wealth of this nation and fifty years later the nation hasn’t made much progress toward achieving that end. So, in some ways things are better than they were 50 years ago and in other ways they are the same or worst. Which leads me to a few final thoughts and comments on yesterday’s message “Living Like Animals”. T
he sermon title was designed to be provocative because people don’t want to be associated with animals. Yet, if we abandon God either by denying His existence or influence in our lives, what is left is a person who is governed by his or her carnal or animal desires, passion and mind just like every other animal on this planet. Animals do what their mind and body move them to do. And so, when we live like that also, we are living like animals. But if we believe in a Creator who make us in His divine image, we can seek to be like Him and resist the temptation to succumb to our carnal nature.
We are part animal, but we are part divine. And we can choose to follow our animal instincts or our divine calling. Yielding to our carnal side is natural and easier for us to do than rising above and resisting those urges and prompting to follow the lead of a Creator we must seek with the divine part of our being. I refuse to believe my existence has no more meaning than that of a rat, dog, horse or cow as just another animal who will live and die without consequence. But rather, we are uniquely and wonderfully made like no other mammal on this planet.
There is something special about us that no other creature can claim. And because of that uniqueness, we should refuse to live like the rest of the animals and seek out the reason we are different from them beginning with a love and belief in a God who is responsible for that difference and a commitment to fulfill His design and purpose for our life. Don’t live like an animal, but like a child of God. Well, that’s all for now. Until we meet again,
Blessings and Peace
Pastor Jordan
