This is the first of seven weekly guest posts from Dr. Suzan Johnson-Cook, Author, Speaker, Senior Pastor at the Bronx Christian Fellowship Church in New York and Founder of Wall Street Wednesdays, a mid-week service that has been held for more than a decade in the heart of the New York's Financial district.
WHOSE HANDS IS IT IN? by Dr Suzan Johnson-Cook
"Whose hands is it in?" was the topic of last Tuesday's Wonderful Washington Worship, the first in a series of seven lunchtime sermons to be held in Washington D.C. created to stimulate the Spirit and fortify the spiritual health of our Nation.
It was based on the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John, simply because it focused on a Miracle that happened during lunchtime with a crowd that was hungry and needed something to special to happen. They needed to be revived. As the crowd gathered only one was prepared with sustenance--a little boy who was first overlooked because of the overwhelming and mounting problems.
When the boy's meager lunch (five loaves and two fish) was placed in Jesus' hands it multiplied, because God was magnified. It went from a sandwich to a smorgasbord, from doom to a greater destiny. How amazing is that?
I believe this nation is spiritually challenged and hungry. As a nation, we face some seemingly insurmountable problems; some far too tough for us to handle without divine help. I believe that one of the answers to our problems is to re-connect, re-prioritize and allow ourselves to place these problems in the hands of the Almighty.
The most interesting part of this Bible incident was that right before the Miracle happened, thanks was given for the blessing. So I ask you:
Have we become a nation that's forgotten how to be thankful?
Do we still believe in Miracles; that our situation can turn around?
Whose hands are we in? God's or our own?
Wonderful Washington Worship takes place Tuesdays from June 16-July 28, 2009 at 12:00-12:45pm at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church at 9th & Mass Ave NW, 900 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001.
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"Have we become a nation that's forgotten how to be thankful?
Do we still believe in Miracles; that our situation can turn around?
Whose hands are we in? God's or our own?"
Fabulous, convicting questions Suzan. I do think we've forgotten how to be thankful. I do believe in miracles, but I'm not sure that I believe in the ones I am supposed to have witnessed. I think a lot of our faith communities have MANUFACTURED the miraculous as a result of misdiagnosing the needs of our faith communities.
We thought we needed blessing, when we needed poverty.
We thought we needed healing, when we needed brokenness.
We thought we needed supernatural, when we needed simplicity.
When we pray in specifics, we rarely pray for what we actually need. When we pray for what we need, we usually get something much more difficult... like a recession. Sorrow. Loneliness. Brokenness. All the uncomfortable, inconvenient things that bring us closer to the heart and mind of Christ.
I pray for a corporate brokenness that gives the Western Church - and Western Culture - exactly what it needs. And I am quite aware that if God answers that prayer, I will grieve and lament the answer. But I'll be a better follower for it.
Thanks for your thoughtfulness Suzan, and Joan!
yes. are you asking about america, yes?
in answer to your first question, no, we have not forgotten to be thankful. in romania. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/ROC.svg
as for your second question, some hope, others despair, just like anywhere else. . . . i have problems understanding why you capitalize miracles and use a semicolon.
whose hands are we in? there's a group in the bishopric of suceava holed up in a cave expecting the end of the world. i presume upon myself.
what are you a doctor of, suzan?
Have we become a nation that's forgotten how to be thankful? Yes we have become a nation taking the blessings of God and not even saying thank you. We waste no time embracing greed and ungodly behavior. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Yes we are in our own hands today and that is why our land is so sick and decaying rapidly. Only when we seek Gods face and repent will we get back into God's hands. I pray we will come together and realize how citical it is for us to get back into God's hands.
Wenda: Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Humility is such an important part of any spiritual journey.
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