Dark Places, Empty Spaces, and Presidential Races in 2012

We see in the Gospels that Jesus often met the misguided good intentions of the Pharisees with compassion and disdain, only to be set upon by the same religious elite with burning eyes, crass insinuation, and outright mockery as foreplay which led ultimately to plots of conspiracy, false witness, and murder. God, The Ancient of Days, was in mid swing reconciling fallen man to himself through the manifestation of His Word become flesh, Jesus Christ The Anointed One and His Anointing. Hallelujah. Can there ever again exist a more horrifically tragic transmogrification of irony, evil self-aggrandizement, and hypocrisy as that which was demonstrated by the scribes and Pharisees? It remains a mystery how Christ could be simultaneously fully God and fully man - the hypostatic union to reference the proper Christology. Yet, like a kernel of wheat destined to be made broken bread (John 6:35, Matthew 26:26) and like a lamb born to be led to the slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19, Isaiah 53:7), Jesus Christ laid it down, giving up the ghost in the very prime of His human life here on this earthen soil.

I too, in 2012, have witnessed horrifically tragic transmogrification of irony, evil self-aggrandizement, and hypocrisy not unlike that which was demonstrated by the scribes and Pharisees long ago in a galaxy not so far away. I have seen people bend and twist their theology and doctrine to make it line up with their prejudices and fears. Multitudes this year walked by sight rather than by faith while being swept up into emotional political hurricanes and mob mentalities which all could have been much more God glorifying than they shall, years from now, turn out to be in the final historical analysis. Periods of America’s churchy past are far from scripturally sound and this year revealed much guile in us which was the opposite of spiritual fruit. God’s true church, just as it was during the not so distant and extremely profitable era of American slavery, is indeed invisible. Thank God for zealous abolitionists. However, in terms of representation in American churches, righteousness was quite the minority then as is the case this very moment. Some still wonder if Heaven will be segregated. We have heaped shame upon ourselves in abundance, Heavenly Father. Please help us, Lord God Almighty, to see ourselves the way You see us and not through phantasmagorical rose colored glasses like we apparently see ourselves as though we have not sinned and You are a liar (1 John 1:8-10).

You have not called us to win any popularity contests, Lord. The truth always has and always shall either make us mad or make us glad. Such is the nature of conviction, Holy One of Israel. Righteousness shall never sit on the fence. There is no in between. There shall be no co-mingling of funds so to speak. I suspect my friends list shall dwindle not many days hence after the transparency with which I have herein had the gall to express myself. And, oh my goodness, has this American actually had the nerve to play the race card as we have so benignly classified such blood forced verity? Has another figurative Native American actually had the nerve to cry foul from the Trail of Tears? Yet, being neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, I am completely unconcerned how I appear to people who can neither create nor destroy my life. “It is too late baby. Now, it’s too late,” said Carole King some forty one years ago. Whether it is regarded as diatribe or ballyhoo, my cat is out of the bag. Praise God! I am but a foolish thing of the world if I confound but one wise man in this day and age.

Fortunately for the faint of heart, like a bear, I am entering hibernation now with these keystrokes. I am not boring as some have surmised. There should be some humor evident in whatever this communication is ultimately classified. Genuine friends will love me hereafter regardless of what I think out loud. All may take solace in the fact that I shall not soon be heard from again. I need a season of quiet reflection, perhaps a month, perhaps longer, in which to dream of a kinder, gentler America than this year has fully disclosed. We are a nation of brilliant rain men. Idiot savants rule us. I would imagine at least one someone out there shares this sentiment. I want my imagination to run wild having been fed a steady diet of God’s Word, the whole counsel of God, and nothing but the truth.

Therefore, help me, God is my prayer. Make me a thousand times more loving, forgiving, and compassionate than I am. Help me to wash away all the pain of my experience thus far so that all that remains in me is what You shall use to glorify Your holy name, Lord Jehovah. Hallelujah! I am excited about the new things around the corner of my life in Christ. I anticipate sharper senses, keener insights, and greater discernment through which You shall be glorified and exalted. Purify my thoughts, oh Lord. Strengthen my resolve to present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You. Please do not allow me to be conformed to this world, oh God. Help me to be transformed by the renewing of this mind so that I may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will which originates in the thinking of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost who agree wholeheartedly in Heaven as one . Hallelujah! Smile graciously upon and bless exceeding, abundantly, each and every soul who spared the time to read this inconsequential post during my hiatus. Thank You that I can hear You more clearly now, Lord. If I never do this again, please let me serve You more obediently with the greatest sense of purpose imaginable. Let me take everything as seriously as I have taken music all of my life thus far. Let me gladly give up Facebook altogether if that is what You call me to do in this hour, Lord. Considering what You have done and continue to do for my benefit, I will gladly change my life for You, Almighty God. Help me to decrease so that You may increase in me for the rest of my days in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

© 2012 Brian L Hunter