While
reading through Daktar,
a book about the establishment of a Medical Mission work in East
PakIstan (late 60s and early 70s), I find myself in the middle of
something that reeks of today's political climate of cooperation
with the enemy. As I was
reading I also felt the heaviness of the deceit of the Japanese as
they plotted our demise even while they were “cooperating”
with peace negotiations in Washington D.C.
It
makes my heart ache to realize once again that there is “nothing
new under the sun.” It has long been said that if we do not
learn from our history, our history will repeat itself over and over
again. This is happening on so many sides right now that even
thinking about it can make for a very heavy heart; even a sense of
despondence and depression.
BUT
GOD* - As we approach this Easter Sunday, we have every reason to
rejoice that we live. One song on my heart these days is, Because He
Lives, by Matt
Maher
This song reminds us that our very lives are completely in His hands
because He rose from that grave and gives us new life as we surrender
to Him in faith and worship.
So
many passages in His Word remind us that He is in charge of the
nations and, though we must be watchful (including refusal to
cooperate with the enemy), we must Trust in Him and pray heartily
that His Will be done with us and with our temporary home on this
earth.
Even
as the Missionaries involved with the enormous task of bringing life
and love to these needy people of East Pakistan -- now Bangladesh –
we must also go about our business as He guides us, while being bent
on our knees with the realization that the only thing that can change
what is happening around us is the Will of God,. And our job is to
pray earnestly for just that in every move we make and every
conversation we have.
At
the height of the turmoil in East Pakistan, there was a free
election nation wide that brought a new President elect. This
election was the first to be directly from the ballot to the
result with no middle men being elected to cast votes for the
president or anyone else. (Sound familiar? The electoral voting
system?) This President Elect, as we would call it, had no authority
until sworn into office, an event the West Pakistan government was
determined to stop at all cost. And the fighting raged into a cyclone
of national destruction in East Pakistan in order to destroy him and
his followers - who numbered more than any other group of people in
this split Nation – from taking office and power over entire
Pakistan.
Meanwhile
“peace talks” went on, with the President elect attempting to
make a deal with the enemy, who posed as ready to make
peace, while actually building up an army of West Pakistan soldiers
and an arsenal of weapons within the boarders of the East.
When the “papers” were agreed to and the signatures were
expected, the hidden army burst out of their hiding and slaughtered
millions of Bengali's and Hindus.
While
our President Roosevelt sat in conference with the Japanese
officials, Japan slaughtered thousands of people in Honolulu.
While
our current President sits at conferences to make peace with our
enemies, our enemies are getting stronger and stronger. And he looks
the other way. Meanwhile, our only reliable supporter in the midst of
all this mess, is rejected by him as an unruly intruder in the Middle
East.
Again
I say, *“BUT GOD.” This is a book written by our Associate
Pastor, Casey Lute, which explains how often things looked and were
dismal, BUT GOD intervened and He still is in charge and can and will
intervene as He sees fit.
So
how do we stop those sleeping dogs from taking over the world?
We PRAY, and we pray and we pray: together and singly, we pray. And
we PRAISE: together and singly, we praise!
Our
Hope is in Him. And, at this season of rejoicing, we have many
reasons to give ourselves to Him completely. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
HE LIVES; HE LIVES INDEED.
AMEN!
AMEN! I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE, BECAUSE HE LIVES...
