I was a sideline observer to the "Return to Honor" rally in Washington D.C. two weekends ago. Void of cable and satellite television, I do not watch Glenn Beck in the evenings. My work schedule and other responsibilities very rarely put me in the car during his radio show.
To be quite honest I haven't even checked if Glenn is spelled with one "n" or two. I am sticking with two. Yet, during the past primary season I was accused of being a 9/12, Beck-loving nut because of my intention to vote for a new senator. The only 9/12 event I have attended was a sponsored meet the candidate night for the past senate contenders. It was held in a Presbyterian church -- which brings me to my transition and point.
The late Truman Madsen told the simplistic story of a young boy who went outside to play hide-n-seek with some neighborhood children. The boy dejectedly returned home a few hours later. His grandfather noticed his gloomy countenance. "What is the matter" his grandfather inquired.
The boy responded, "I went and played hide-n-seek with the other children. I went and hid but nobody came for me."
The grandfather paused and then wisely passed on; "Now you know how God feels."
We, in large part are growing cold to our divine parentage. We don't care to find him. "It has nothing to do with politics" Beck declared at the event. "It has everything to do with God, turning our faith back to the values and principles that made us great."
Where are those values and principles found? And what resources may help us find him?
Scriptures "move the heart ... activate the mind ... mold character," William Tyndale observed. Returning to honor is going to take Americans returning to the scriptures. It is going to take Americans returning to church regularly, hearing repeatedly the messages of faith, hope and charity. It is going to take families turning the television off and having quality family discussions and activities. It is going to take individuals turning off their computers and their contrary virtual relationships.
We need to reverse the habit of opening our scriptures too slowly and closing them too quickly. Imagine our frame of mind and the condition of our heart if we contemplated and read a scripture for every time we double clicked.
The teachings in scripture represent a broad range of the Lord's love and intervention in the lives of those who believe in Him. His intervention is our heritage.
The "audacity of hope" is grounded in Paul's word: "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
False gods and false traditions produce false hope, a current dilemma in our culture. "Scripture is...profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." If we accept the correction and instruction better, as Americans we will better understand and appreciate the Lord's intervention.
What worries me about political movements and Christianity in general, is the fixation of their key players reducing political and spiritual rebirth to an ostentations singular event. The journey of finding God again may begin with a singular event, but the joy will come in day to day seeking.
Jenkins lives in Layton.
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