I just recently found out about a song by Lecrae ft. For King and Country, and it’s called “Messengers.” This song won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. The song is from his album “Anomaly.”
This song is amazing in that it calls us all to get to our feet and preach for Christ, and to look at our lives from a different lens and viewpoint. Time is short, but work is much. We must do what do calls us to do.
This is my first Fourth of July here on WordPress, so I’m very excited to move on with this post. Today we celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was first signed. We call ourselves the United States of America, and we celebrate the freedom of all men.
But are we truly united?
There has been a past history of violence, war, bloodshed, discrimination, superiority, and inferiority. Slave traders, emperors who have exploited their people, and soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom still remain in the timeline of our history. And even now, with the sudden popularity of abortion, racism, and LGBTQ+, it makes me wonder. . .have we ever actually gotten anywhere with our so-called unitedness? Have we actually accomplished our goal of “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?”
Somehow, I don’t think we have.
What happened to the days of presidency, when you could not be elected unless you were a true Christian?
What happened to those who believed life was sacred and protected unborn babies from being so ruthlessly murdered?
What happened to the pastors who truly longed to protect their flocks from the evil doctrines of Satan that could potentially creep into their churches and break their congregations?
What happened to those who believed God commanded marriage to be between one man and one woman for one lifetime?
So tell me, reader. . .are we united?
The answer is no.
In no way are we united.
We are all disunited.
We have lost the true purpose and meaning of our life. . .Jesus Christ.
He gave us freedom when we were slaves to sin.
He washed us when we were stained with sin.
He loved us even when we hated Him.
So why are we being immoral and corruptible to His laws? Do our own sick pleasures and morals really mean that much to us? Just look around! Babies are being killed because no one cares for the sanctity of human life. Diseases are rapidly spreading and killing those who are involved in immoral relationships because they never cared enough to read their Bibles. Presidents and government leaders are calling good evil and evil good.
What’s happened to our nation?!
I’ll tell you.
“We the People of the United States have personally rejected Jesus as our King and care nothing for His laws or statutes. We wish to do as we feel and think and it does not matter how we hurt others or ourselves. Our only purpose in life is to enjoy today because we do not know if we will wake up alive tomorrow.”
And there you have it.
If we want to be united, we have to work together to be united, people!
Otherwise. . .
What’s the point of being the United States?
~
If we want to be united, we must serve the One Who allowed our nation to be free in the first place.
The stars in the sky shimmered as the fireflies flickered and darted back and forth among the crowd of onlookers at the July 4th party being held in the Cappy Town square. But amidst the laughter and cheery chatter from the Cappies, there was a hint of discomfort and unease. Though they were now freed from Nightmare, thanks to the Halberd crowd, some felt a strange darkness still lay over their peaceful land.
Unfortunately. . .
. . .they were more right than they knew.
~ ~ ~
On the outskirts of the town, nestled on a little house, was a large castle. A young woman with bright blond hair pulled back in a bun stood on her balcony, her thoughtful emerald-colored eyes as bright as the fireworks exploding in the sky. It was Tiffany Ebrum, now a beautiful woman of eighteen with two children and a wonderful husband. She recalled how when she was younger, at one interval, on New Year’s Eve, fireworks had been popping just like they were now. She, as a twelve-year-old child who loved marine biology and reading, had been standing beside her friend, Meta Knight, as Kirby battled Sasuke, a monster sent by Dedede to wreck the Cappies’ New Year’s party. The dark conversation that had taken place between her and the soldier still remained in her mind and made her frown:
“Meta Knight, what are you doing here?”
“I came to wish Kirby a Happy New Year. . .if he makes it to the New Year.”
Dark humor, Tiff repeated silently, replaying those two words over and over in her mind. Actually, Meta Knight wasn’t the only one to make use of deadpan delivery. Starmonia often used it too, in her everyday speeches, usually in response to Dedede’s insults or Escargoon’s teasing.
And tonight might play out the same way as it did on New Year’s many years ago, Tiff thought dryly, just not quite in the same way.
~ ~ ~
The fireworks burst into showers in the sky should have given everyone a sense of independence and happiness, but it only made the atmosphere melancholy. Mayor Len’s eyes traveled to the castle, to King Dedede’s bedroom. It was impossible to believe the king was dead, gone from cancer; it would be a long time before anyone would recover from his untimely demise that occurred last Christmas. Escargoon, the king’s sidekick, was later revealed to have given the king a strange drug sent from Night Mare Enterprises that killed him, slowly but painfully. Mayor Len remembered the many visits Dr. Yabui had made to the castle; the sleepless nights Tiff and her family had spent watching over the king; the many seizures and breathless nights he had endured alone; Meta Knight and his subordinates standing silently together, talking in low voices; the fear of death that overshadowed everyone in Cappy Town.
Hana seemed to sense her husband’s thoughts and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Dear, I know you miss the king,” se said in her soft voice. “We all do. But we tried our best to save him. And even if it didn’t work, we can rest in the fact that we tried our hardest to help him.”
“It was all Escargoon’s fault, anyway,” Chief Bookem grumbled. “Man, was I glad to run that slimy creep out of town!”
“I can’t believe he actually murdered our king!” Kawasaki chimed in.
“Do not condemn Escargoon,” Hana spoke firmly but quietly. “What right have we to cast the first stone?”
The others silently respected Hana’s judgment.
~ ~ ~
Standing in the castle courtyard, unwilling to join the in the Fourth of July fun, Meta Knight and his subordinates talked by the fountain. It felt too much like the days when Dedede was ill and needed constant attention. It seemed to the knights they could still see Dedede lying in bed, his face pale; Escargoon’s leering expression and the mask of sorrow he placed on whenever he walked into Dedede’s room. The anger they felt when Chief Bookem declared Escargoon the murderer of the king still roiled in their minds.
“The world will never be the same without our king,” Sword Knight declared in a mournful tone.
“Then again,” came a familiar youthful voice from behind some blackberry bushes, “all of us have our death receipts. When our time expires, so does our life.” The speaker was little Ivene, who, though so small, spoke mountains of wisdom. She stepped out from behind the thorny leaves and spoke. “Hurry, the night is drawing to a close. July 4th only comes once a year. Sometimes the best thing to take your mind off a difficult situation is to have fun.”
“Child, you must understand that such a suggestion is not for everyone who has gone through something traumatic,” Sword explained. “We are still suffering from the king’s death.”
“As am I,” Ivene said, her brown eyes clear in the starlight. The rush of fountain water seemed to back her words as it peacefully bubbled into its marble basin. “But death is just the doorway to eternal life, God says. Dedede knows and he accepted the truth at the end. So let’s be grateful, my friends.” And with that, she was off, disappearing into the warm night.
“Aye, p’haps she’s right,” Blade said. Sword agreed, glancing at Meta Knight, who nodded a little.
~ ~ ~
“You look very distant,” came a voice from behind Meta Knight.
Meta Knight turned in surprise to face Tiff, holding her one-year-old daughter, Pamela, fondly nicknamed Pamu. “I am all right,” he assured her, but his trembling voice betrayed his words.
Tiff stared at him with those same green eyes that had always pierced at his soul. He recalled all too well, when she was a child, when he had been in pain or was going through a hard time. . .if he had lied to her about how he was feeling, she would stare at him wit the look that spoke plainer than any words, “You’re lying. I know what you are saying is not true.”
Though she was not a little girl any longer, those eyes still nagged at him, tugged at his conscience. He looked up to the sky as another firework whistled, its pitch getting higher and higher, until it finally exploded. It seemed to him that was how he felt. One moment he would be soaring higher and higher into the sky of delight and peace, and then his dreams would expire, explode, leaving nothing behind by smoke and particles of what he had once dreamed of.
Tiff walked up to him, shifting her child to her other arm, and she reached out and grasped his hand in a quiet, “I’m here” motion. The touch wasn’t much, but it sparked something in him he hadn’t felt in a while. . .the feeling of knowing someone was always there, always caring, even if he didn’t know it. He turned and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder as she knelt down and embraced him gently. A light gust of wind swirled past, ruffling Tiff’s dress and rustling the soldier’s cape.
“You’re not alone,” she told him at last. “We all miss Dedede, but we all rejoice knowing he’s okay.”
Meta Knight looked full into her face and smiled at her, though she could not see it. She smiled back, almost as if she knew how he felt. Even little Pamu seemed to sense the joy of the moment and gurgled, “Happy!”
Both laughed and then stood up to go down and watch the rest of the fireworks show.
~ ~ ~
By the time the threesome reached the square, most of the fireworks had already been shot off. But the biggest display was yet to come, as Tiff knew from previous Independence Days. As she and Meta Knight stepped toward the middle of the square, hanging back from the huge firework which Buttercup, Chief Bookem’s wife, was to set off, little Ivene grinned widely, leaped onto the statue of Dedede which had been erected in his memory, and paraded along the base of the throne’s armrest, singing:
“Sometimes it’s hard to see what is in front of me I need a hand to pull me from the shadows No shackles on my feet, they’re just a memory I need Your strength to rise above the shallows.”
The Cappies lifted their voices and began to sing with her.
“I’ve walked through fire and weathered pain Felt emotion like a hurricane There’s gotta be a better way Hear me when I say. . .”
Tiff and her husband, Lemu, joined in with their friends. Meta Knight remained silent, watching the happy crowd.
“I was a wreck Oh, I was shattered and bruised Then You tore down the dark And Your love broke through Down on my knees ‘Cause I couldn’t be found Now I’m filled with Your peace As Your love comes down Down, down, down, down, down Down, down, down, down, down.”
Then Lemu sang solo.
“I was a broken man living in a broken land Then You arrived, a love worthy to follow I could’ve stayed in pain forever and a day Then just in time, You filled up what was hollow.”
Meta Knight furrowed his brow. That sounded too much like what he had been like before God had come along and rescued him. The thought brought a smile to his lips.
“I’ve walked through fire and weathered pain Oh, like a hurricane!
I was a wreck Oh, I was shattered and bruised Then You tore down the dark And Your love broke through Down on my knees ‘Cause I couldn’t be found Now I’m filled with Your peace As Your love comes down Down, down, down, down, down As Your love comes down Down, down, down, down, down.”
“Let’s all sing together!” Ivene cried happily.
“I was a wreck
Oh, I was shattered and bruised
Then You tore down the dark
And Your love broke through
Down on my knees
‘Cause I couldn’t be found
Now I’m filled with Your peace
As Your love comes down!”
Meta Knight couldn’t contain himself anymore. As Buttercup struck the match and lit the fuse, he knew he had to sing and celebrate. A wave of overwhelming happiness struck him head over heels and he lifted up his voice to sing with his friends and family.
“I was a wreck Oh, I was shattered and bruised Then You tore down the dark And Your love broke through Down on my knees ‘Cause I couldn’t be found Now I’m filled with Your peace As Your love comes down Down, down, down, down, down As Your love comes down Down, down, down, down, down! As Your love comes Your love comes down!”
As the huge firework exploded in a blend of red, blue, and white, everyone strongly finished out the song together:
“Down, down, down, down, down!”
“Happy Independence Day!” Ivene howled, leaping and jumping about with enthusiasm. And then Meta Knight, Tiff, and her family shared a beautiful embrace as the fireworks continued to pop around them, illuminating the warm night.
_ _ _
The song “Down” was written by Colton Dixon, Ben Glover, and Kyle Lee. All credit goes to them.
One of the first songs I heard from famous Christian song artist Katy Nichole is “In Jesus’ Name (God of Possible.)” When I was younger, I assumed it was referring to physical healing, and it does in a sense. But as I got older, I learned it referred to so much more. . .
The song is a prayer for all who are struggling, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional struggles. it reminds us that God is still working and will heal if it be His will; we just have to trust in Him and let Him carry all our burdens instead of trying to lug them around ourselves.
I pray for all who are going through hard times. . . .May the Lord change your situation if He wills it. . .
If anyone is out here reading this, prayers for Eileen Guyadeen and her daughter, Victoria. I discovered this site through Willie Torres Jr’s prayer chain and subscribed to her blog.
I vowed to pray for her daughter and for her in every way I could.
And I do. Still.
But every message she wrote as of recently didn’t seem to reflect any faith in Christ. . .
Just despair.
But I still prayed, because I believe truly that God can make a difference if He wishes.
But the post above that I recently read. . .it just doesn’t fly with me. . .
I can get her feelings. I can definitely get it. I’ve been in the valley myself lots of times.
I lost my brother a long time ago; I almost died twice as a young kid; there are many in my hometown who hate me for I-don’t-know-what. And I get bothered when stuff like that happens. Sometimes I question God. Sometimes I get angry. Sometimes I want to vent my frustration but don’t know how.
But pain, though it is real and profound, is not unexpected, neither is it purposeless.
Did Jesus ever say we would escape pain? No.
Did Jesus ever promise us an easy life filled with sunshine and rainbows? No.
And yet, many people who identify as Christians believe that.
And they get frustrated or upset with God when something bad happens.
Especially if it’s been going on for years.
A rare disease.
Unresolved trauma.
The ghost of one’s past still haunting their present self.
But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t see.
Because He does.
A long time ago, my family was going through something terrible. My father was hospitalized, and everyone was frightened, including me.
But through that long week of waiting, sleeplessness, and the day of surgery, I discovered something very odd that never again have I really felt.
I knew my father would not die.
I don’t know how I knew. But I did.
My mother was worried he would die, and I remember repeatedly telling her he would make it out. I recall saying it with confidence, because I knew. It was as if something or Someone was telling me he would not die.
And I figured it was the Holy Spirit reassuring me, telling me he would make it out alive.
And he did, thank God!
Pain matters because it is what strengthen our faith in our Father (if we believe) and it is what draws those to God (if we don’t believe). The Enemy will trick us into believing pain is meant as punishment, but that is not always the case.
Sometimes pain is meant for something better. We may not know what it is, but we know God has a plan behind all suffering. We just have to wait for His timing and see what it is.
Sometimes pain is meant to draw straying people closer to the One Who endured horrible pain on the cross to win the victory over Hell and redeem us all forever!
(Go to this link to learn more about what the Bible says about pain.)
If anyone is acquainted with Eileen and Victoria, reach out and let them know I care, even if no one else does. (link to her blog: quietmomentswithgodblog.wordpress.com).
Pain may be unbearable. . .
But losing faith is not an option.
God bless, Eileen and Victoria.
In times of pain. . .
You might bend. . .
But if you trust in God. . .
You will never break.
Wait for His timing. . .
And He will reveal His plan.
He is God Almighty. . .
He died for us.
We should be willing to wait for His timing. . .
Because. . .
He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Amen.
-Starmonia
Where all can gather together to read and share their thoughts on the ultimate source of truth: Jesus Christ.
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