![]() "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." - Genesis 1:1-3 (NLT) There's no question that we are living in unprecedented times. Our day to day is unlike any other time in our global history. In the midst of stay at home orders, mandated face coverings/masks, racial tension and unrest, etc. we have found ourselves blanketed by uncertainty. I have found that the passage above provides so much insight into where our hope comes from. God who so perfectly created the heavens and the Earth saw His masterpiece come to a place of disarray. His purposes and intent for Earth was disrupted - the earth found itself dark, formless, and empty. The next part of the passage resonates with me the most - the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. God's presence remained. When we look at our current situation we can trust and know that the presence of God is there. It doesn't join the darkness, but hovers gracefully above it waiting for one thing - a word to be spoken. The minute the word of the Lord came forth, "Let there be light," the atmosphere and trajectory of the state of the Earth shifted. All your situation needs is one word. As children of God - He has made us to create in the same image and likeness of God. His word cultivated the Earth and one word from our mouths will cultivate the soil of our live. No matter what you are currently facing there is a word that you can proclaim that can literally create the life you so desire. We're not stuck. This principal applies to every area of our lives - including the current tension we may have in our relationships. The title of this blog - Am I My Brother's Keeper, requires our ability to speak this kind of light. We must tap into the fact that were were born creators, essentially farmers, who can plant a seed with our words and create a harvest where there was only dirt. It starts with cultivating our soil. When we stand humbly secure in what God has purposed for us to do, then we can be a better keeper of our brother and sister and Christ to support their God given abilities. When we already know that our lives matter through Christ, it makes it easier to be okay with the statement "Black Lives Matter." When we are secure in the favor and honor we have in Christ we do not make our compassion selective nor are we driven a part by differences of political position or opinions. When we are secure in the soil we have cultivated it opens the pathway for us to celebrate and have empathy for other people. I believe that is where Cain went wrong first. When we consider the story of Cain and Abel, the one glaring reality is that Cain did not give his best to God. He did not cultivate his soil ("purpose") and therefore did not reap the same rewards as his brother Abel. His lack of cultivation opened the door for jealously and disdain which eventually led to murder. It brings us back to the aged old idea, "It starts with me." Cultivating our soil is central to our relationship with God and the world around us. It helps us keep ourselves and so that we can be keepers of each other. If you find your world feeling empty, formless, and dark - hold on. If you are wondering how you can bridge the gap of racial tension or even the deep rooted disagreements that have taken form from the decision to where a mask or not, just know that there is a resolve. You can find it in the word of God. He is not absent from this moment - we just have to put ourselves aside and access His creative power. It starts with focus and understanding our soil. Where is your soil? What shovel are you using? Let's challenge ourselves today to not take the world for what we see, but lets walk toward a world that we would like to create. Let's cultivate.
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AuthorChristine Houston is a believer, wife, and mother of two amazing children. Writing has always been a form of expression where she feels at home. Now she is getting to integrate her faith and her love of history to bring a new spin to the current climate of our nation with the hope to bring understanding and bridge the gap created by racial divides Archives
January 2025
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