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| www.strokecamp.org |
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| http://www.unitedstrokealliance.org/ |
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Phil Bell is a retired pastor, University Baptist Church, and a stroke
survivor. He continues to write his Street & Steeple articles for
his local newspaper. I believe this is good therapy for him, and
reading his work may be good therapy for you, too.
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Street & Steeple for November 27 th , 2020++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Time To Come Together”
By Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church
Are you like me? Yesterday, was one of the things for which you were thankful was that this year’s presidential election is finally over? Each of us can now do one of three things, be bitter & yell “foul,” be smug & self righteous, or unite behind our elected leader! I urge us to do the last! I am, as I’m sure you are, either happy, disappointed, or even angry at the outcome, but that’s not what’s important now. Our country’s future is too important to not do our very best to help ensure it’s a bright one. “Just how do I do that?” you may ask. One way, I suggest, is by accepting the outcome, graciously & not complaining nor gloating about it to each other nor by way of social media and, more importantly, by praying for President elect Biden both before and, especially, after his inauguration. Most certainly he will need the Lord’s help as he inherits a deeply divided Congress, not to mention, a deeply divided country! Some, no doubt, will have trouble doing that, but both the nation’s welfare and the Bible require it! The Scriptures clearly assert that this world’s leaders are in place at the will of God and we are to support them, knowing that. We all should thank God that we live in a country whose leaders are chosen by ballots, not bullets! Let us honor that God given privilege by being appreciative,
demonstrated by our support of the process. In the Christian world, as well as the political, too often we are divided. Thankfully, here in Macomb there exists MACMA (Macomb Area Christian Ministerial
Association). This very column is graciously provided each Friday by the “McDonough County Voice” to that association. I am, personally, very grateful to the pastor members of MACMA for graciously encouraging my participation with them even though I don’t have an active pastorate. In our Macomb area there are very many churches belonging to several denominations, with no less than six Baptist churches alone! Too often we, unintentionally, view ourselves in competition with each other rather than united as the one catholic church! That should not be so! Even Jesus’ disciples had that problem, also. In the ninth chapter of Mark we read about them coming to Jesus saying they had found someone casting out demons in His name and they had tried to prevent him because he wasn’t following them. In verse 39 Jesus tells them not to hinder him because “whoever is not against us is for us.” There are valid reasons for many churches and denominations, such as doctrinal differences, as well as, different preferences for the frequency and style of worship. Any time we hear of a church struggling or in some
kind of trouble, all other local churches ought to be sorrowful and praying for their brothers and sisters in Christ, just as all our churches should rejoice when we see another church growing and winning people for the Lord! Way too often we are jealous of another church’s growth. MACMA exists for just those reasons of mutual support and mutual rejoicing. I think it’s time to listen to the advice of those giants of philosophy, the Beatles, as expressed in their song “Come Together.” Written by John Lennon for a California gubernatorial race. Its lyrics include “Come together, come together, come together over me.” I believe it’s right in two respects, we should come together and do so because of something
or someone. Nationwide we should do it for the cause of our country and in our churches for the cause of Christ! There are many examples of groups which should work together, but are instead competitive. I even encountered one when, after my stroke, I had to enter a nursing and rehabilitation facility. The CNAs were excellent, as were the therapists. My therapies would be scheduled throughout the day and the times posted in my room the night before. Because I wasn’t ambulatory the CNAs were supposed to take me, in my wheelchair, to the therapy room at my appointed times. Their primary responsibility was my rest and health, so, sometimes they were sometimes reluctant or tardy taking me. The therapists’ responsibilities were my recovery of the physical abilities I’d lost due to the stroke, thus, they wanted to work with me for the full time of my appointment and sometimes came to my room to get me!! These two groups both wanted to advance my recovery, but were so intent on their own part in it they almost became competitors. Fortunately for me they came together and did wonders for preparing me to be able to return home! The Beatles sang another hit, capturing where we are as a people, “We Can Work It Out,” urging, “Life is very short and there’s no time for fussing and fighting my friend. Try to see it my way. Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong, while you see it your way. We can work it out. We can work it out and get it straight. We can work it out!” If we would all try to do that with those with whom we disagree, our churches, community, and country would be so much better! Let me reference a couple more pop & rock songs. One is the Brotherhood Of Man’s “United We Stand Divided We Fall.” As it says, “When our backs are against the wall we’ll be together.” The other is Dave Mason’s “We Just Disagree.” The lyrics include, “There’s no good guys, there’s no bad guys, there’s only you and me and we just disagree.” There are certainly honest differences in our points of view in this country. That is not wrong. In fact, friendly, honest disagreements are good for a democracy! We must remember that disagreeing doesn’t make one of us good and the other bad! I believe, of course, nothing is more important than spreading the Gospel, the work about which we all are all to be! As a country, our backs are indeed against a wall and it is time to come together!
- Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church
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