Dear Fellow Children of God,
Do you remember where you were on Friday, November 22,
1963? Fifty years ago President John F.
Kennedy was shot and killed as he rode through Dallas in an open limousine. The event still sends shock waves through our
country today, and causes people to remember and wonder.
Obviously, many today were not alive and don’t remember
this event. I do. I was sitting in my 5th grade
class at Maple Street School in Easthampton, MA. The principal came into our classroom and
told us that something had happened to the president. Her facts were wrong when we first heard
about this tragedy, but we slowly learned the sad truth. In fact, I spent that weekend with my uncle
and aunt. All weekend we watched their
black and white TV, learning about the shooting of the president and all the
news surrounding the event.
Perhaps because of the 50 year anniversary of this event I
have found myself thinking even more this year than in previous years about
this tragedy that continues to shape our country. But others also paid more attention. I’ve noticed the news article and seen the
schedule of TV shows that point back to the assassination. Someone asked me, “Do you think Oswald acted
alone?” But, the question is not just “Who
killed the president? The question that
seems to continue to be unanswered is, “Why was President Kennedy killed?” Have we learned from the death of our
President and changed as a nation? Or do
the same issues which led to Kennedy’s assassination threaten more violence
today?
As I had the Kennedy assassination on my mind I happened
to read Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 in my devotions. I’m not sure I ever quite caught the unique
nature of these Psalms. They are prayers
that confess the sins of the Israelite nation and ask for and hope in God’s
mercy and deliverance. At the beginning
of this Psalm the people confess, “We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have
done wrong and acted wickedly.” (Psalm
106:6) Then after many verses which recount the many ways the people of God had
rebelled against Him, near the very end of the Psalm the people turn to the
mercy and love of God with hearts of repentance. “44
But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; 45 for their sake
he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. 46 He caused
them to be pitied by all who held them captive. 47 Save us, O LORD our God, and
gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory
in your praise.” (Psalm 106:44-47)
As I look back on the violent death of our president in
1963, I confess that I have greater concern for our country today. I often pray for our leaders. But, today I pray more for repentance by the people of our nation. I have come to believe that decisions by our
leaders that seem to lead us in ungodly or unwise ways are often instances when
the leaders are following the desires of the people. When I pray for repentance for our people, I am
not just praying for recognition of our rebellion, and that God’s ways are the
best and healthiest ways to live.
Repentance also recognizes the call of God to His mercy and love,
especially as that is shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The people of Israel remembered their rebellion and
turned to God in repentance. I pray the
same for the people of our country today as I remember the assassination of President
Kennedy 50 years ago.
A Child of God, Praying for Repentance in the Hearts of
our Nation’s People,
Pastor Jonathan
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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am
sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and
friends whose e-mails I have. (I am always adding new names of friends
and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first
time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me
know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if
you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me
their e-mail address.
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