A Better Change

Today we mark the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a father, a husband, a Baptist Pastor, and a defender of civil rights, not only for people of color, but I believe for all humankind. The nation, at that time, was divided when he so eloquently delivered his "I Had a Dream" speech from Washington, D.C., in front of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. Nothing has changed.

With Abraham Lincoln watching, I listened intently to a man preach from these steps knowing that something was being stirred inside of me. I watched black and white people hold hands and march together. I watched as they hugged one another. I listened to Peter, Paul, and Mary sing "Blowin' in the Wind," written by Bob Dylan. These changers stood up for a better tomorrow, realizing that hate and destruction never resolve issues.

Their cries did not go unheeded by those who grew up in the sixties. We still long for a peaceful society, and our children do as well. But one must understand that as long as Satan is ruling in the spiritual realm (which many do not want to acknowledge or believe-Eph. 2:2-4), our earth will never be at peace. Our hope only lies in Christ, our redeemer. Remember the words of our Savior: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, NIV).

Let my poem "Beyond" minister to your broken dreams and your broken hearts today, and let us not allow Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination to be in vain.

"Beyond"

Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other."

Let us look beyond the mountains, beyond the stars, to the heavens, beyond what our human eyes can see.

Let us look to our heavenly Father for the answers to the questions we have deep within.

Let justice rain down like a mighty river covering the land, the valleys, and along the shore.

Let us look unto ourselves first when we see something wrong with others, judging not, lest we be judged.

Let us look past our color, our physical differences to the one who sees us all the same.

For if we say we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, yet utter one word about our neighbor, we have fallen short of the will of our Father, who is in heaven.

Let us remember to forgive as we have been forgiven, to love as we have been loved.

Let us be an example to others as Jesus, our Savior, was.

Let us look beyond.

Rev. Molly

Jesuswithoutthejunk.com