Gandalf,
the Wizard:
Taken
From: The Lord of the Rings:
The
Fellowship of the Ringby: J.R.R. Tolkein
One
cannot choose the times one lives in. We
can only choose what we will do with the time and the truth we have been
given. We can choose to ignore the facts
and live in the matrix of illusion, spun by the agents or our government to
distract us and keep us in blissful (and pliable) ignorance. Or, we can throw off the veil that blinds us,
face the awful darkness and speak the light of truth against it.
But,
what exactly do I mean by that? What
truth can we speak against the machine and machinations of a government as powerful
and all-encompassing as that which appears to control our world?
There
is a truth, which holds within it the power of life over death...resurrection
power. Yes, I am speaking of the saving
Truth of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
It
is written, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
It
is also written that “They who seek to worship God must worship in Spirit and
Truth”
I
believe there is more to these passages than just the need to proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and free men from the sin and death. I believe that as followers of The Christ, we
must take care to live in truth, in every aspect of our lives.
The
way we live our lives can either validate our claim of truth or invalidate it;
it can make it plain, or shroud it. We
must choose to reveal darkness and lies, in whatever shape and form they come,
to clear the way for the truth of Jesus Christ to be seen and heard in our
lives. We must not only make straight
the path that leads to salvation in Jesus, we must take care to illuminate that
path as well, with lives free from darkness and lies.
Jesus
said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Let
us never confuse Faith and patriotism.
They have never been, nor were they ever meant to be seen as the same
thing. At least not until the kingdoms
of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord.
But,
that is not to say that a Christian can never be a patriot. For at the heart of patriotism is the courage
to face the truth and to reveal a lie for what it is. Many a Christian patriot has had to endure
the shame of the moniker “traitor” when their faith in Christ had brought them
to question the motives and intent of their government. Many followers of Jesus have had to suffer
hardship when rising up against their government to protect the weak and
innocent from tyranny and evil.
Christians,
living the truth of Jesus, have often shown themselves to be the truest of
patriots, though their valor and honor have often gone unappreciated and
without reward until many years later.
Questioning
the integrity of our government, or calling it to account is in no way
unpatriotic, nor is it unchristian. In
fact, calling a government or leader to account has often been the calling of
many a prophet of God (e.g., the prophet, Nathan, calling out David the King
for his adultery, lies, deception and murder).
But,
it takes great love to find the courage to stand against the powers of the
day. For love is the root of courage:
love of truth and justice; love for the weak and those unable to defend themselves;
love for God and His Word.
It
is written, “These three abide: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Our
faith, our hope and our love are not of or for king and country; these are mere
shadows of our heavenly kingdom to come.
Often, they bear little resemblance to the kingdom we serve. All too
often, they are at odds and at war with the truth and love of Christ and His
faithful followers.
Our
faith, hope and love are rooted in and serve something other, greater, higher
and more lasting than a flag or Constitution.
They are rooted and grounded in that which gives flags and Constitutions
their power and meaning.
Faith:
Our
faith is in a finished work...the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. That finished work which has removed the need
for all works. It is that finished work
of Christ that gives us the rest man has longed for since he was caste from the
garden; the rest only alluded to in the Sabbath. For it is THE rest of the righteous -- the
peace that comes from being made right before God and saved from His wrath --
the rest that only those with a saving faith in Jesus can ever know.
Hope:
Our
hope is in nothing less than the promise of eternal life. Its seal is the Holy Spirit, sent to us by a
risen and living Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
As he defeated death and rose on the third day, to be seated at the
right hand of God; so too, shall we overcome the pain and death handed out by
our persecutors, to be raised into eternal life, to be seated with Jesus in
heavenly places in the City of God -- the New Jerusalem -- our true home and
country, forever and ever.
Love:
The
root and foundation of all we do is the Love of God in Christ. For it is by this love that God created in
the first place...out of a desire to share that love with His creation. It was His great love that sent His Son as
the sacrifice for that creation. That
same love agreed to the plan of salvation before the first foundation stone of
creation was laid. It was Christ’s love
for His Father that gave him the strength and courage to endure the shame, the
pain, the rejection and utter loneliness of the Cross and it’s death. That same love gave Him power over that
death. God is love. Love is God.
It
is HIS enduring faith, hope and love, generously poured out into us through His
Holy Spirit, which gives us the courage to face tyrants, evil and lies...to
speak truth to our fellow countrymen, even when they would choose not to listen
or receive it. We speak the truth in
love, even when they would reject it and us; even when their rejection comes in
the form of violence against our person.
It
is this faith, hope and love which motivates me to share what truth I know
about 9/11 with you. To raise your
concerns and hopefully, to raise enough voices that we might stay the hand of
evil that is attempting to control this country and this world. And it is also my hope that by sharing this
truth, by revealing the lies, our testimony of Jesus will be validated and
opening avenues and opportunities to share the greater truth of Jesus and our
true hope for peace in this world. It is
this truth...His truth and hope that are so desperately needed in this world at
this hour.
But,
if we withhold or ignore the truth...whether out of fear of persecution, fear
of ridicule, or a misplaced sense of patriotism...we invalidate our
testimony. How can both truth and lies
proceed from the mouths of God’s children?
Do not be deceived, brethren...silence in the face of lies does nothing
but strengthen the deception. Silence
is, in fact, quiet approval.
So,
my brethren, I pray you will seek the truth...speak the truth...and not let
your eye or your mind be darkened by the deceptions of this world. I pray for your insight and wisdom; for a word
of knowledge and prophesy; for all the gifts God has to help guide, build and
strengthen our Church. I pray also, for
the courage and boldness in the Holy Spirit, to share that truth with all who
have ears to hear; that your lives will reflect truth in all things and that
the light of God will shine forth from your eyes...eyes made clear by truth…that
your testimony will be validated and, thus, validate your claims about Christ.
As
Gandalf encouraged Frodo, so I encourage you, not to falter or grow weary in
your well-doing. There are, indeed,
other forces at work in this world, besides the will if evil. God in His Holy Spirit continues to work in
the hearts and lives of men, convincing them of the truth, not just of Jesus
Christ, but in all things touched by Christians in this world.
Take heart, dear friend. God is Truth and He will not allow men to be
kept in the dark forever.
