American media and culture are on record pace for pushing agendas for diverse sexualities on all sides. The response, both from secular and religious sources (most notably on Facebook these days) can be characterized as incendiary, hostile, fear-mongering, and silence-inducing.
To be honest, amidst such negative noise, I’m noticing something within me occurring–a wanting to shrink back and not participate. To just close my eyes, ears, and wait for the storm to end.
But the storm will not end.
Last night, I was at an event at my church where we had a speaker brilliantly, graciously, and restoratively talk about issues of gender identity and human sexuality. It was not emphasized on commenting on culture, but for our own restoration. She spoke from an informed perspective, freely offering the grace offered to us in Jesus in these areas, while maintaining clear boundaries of what is distortion.
Being at such an event to hear such conversation was such a breath of fresh air for me as her courage and humble confidence in the matter gave me courage to think about these issues safely. What I also noticed was how life-giving the event was for many people, who don’t often hear these conversations done so articulately and explicitly in a church context.
And perhaps what this little life-giving event demonstrated to me was a commentary on a greater need in our times…
…that the Church of America is in desperate times to hear prophetic voices regarding sexuality.
Not angry, defensive voices. But voices that hear the heart of God, and speak with his confidence and graciousness.
Not insecure, fearful voices. But voices rooted in a great unchanging God who faithfully speaks to every generation to reveal his good ways for us to follow.
We are tired of responses rooting from a spirit religiousness and rigidity that get blown up; we are in great need of responses rooted in wisdom and power, delivered by the Holy Spirit, to unlock our generation towards God, and not away.
Yes, we desperately need prophetic voices.
In the absence of voices from the church, we are left to hear just the voices of media and our culture. We are left to them to shape our emotions and our values about topics which dominate our media.
If no one will shepherd us, they will.
We need not just voices, but leaders. How much more needed in these days the promise of God revealed to Jeremiah, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.” (3:15). That in the midst of the chaotic storm we are entering in these times, God would raise up strong, gracious, loving, wise, and anointed leaders to lead God’s people towards the purposes of God in our generation.
Father, it is my prayer that you would answer the promise given to Jeremiah in our days. That you would raise up shepherds after your own heart, and not their own, nor our cultures, nor anyone else’s. I pray that you would raise up gracious, loving, and powerful prophetic voices regarding human sexuality. I pray that you would send forth your light and your truth to our nation that we may best see from you light. For your light is the perspective which heals, delivers, and gives life to the full.
Amen.
