"For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock." (Psalm 27:5)
On January 21, 2019 we will once again recognize and celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy. Dr. King fought for the rights of black Americans who were experiencing discrimination and segregation. However, prior to Dr. King's achievements there were many others who fought for the rights and freedoms of black Americans. Among them were many notable women. Sojourner Truth who was born a slave in Hurley, New York and worked as a servant, became a powerful voice against slavery. She felt God's call to a greater mission as an abolitionist. As a result she began a ministry as an itinerant preacher delivering God's judgment against the evils of slavery and in time she joined this theme with a commitment to women's rights. Sojourner Truth, like Dr. King faced great opposition and at times violent mobs. Yet she never doubted slavery would end and was present in the capital in 1865 when Congress ratified the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery. Her struggle for freedom and equality continued until the day she died on November 26, 1883 at the age of 86 years.
"Black Moses"
Similarly, Harriet Tubman who was often referred to as the black "Moses" of her time was the "conductor" hero of the Underground Railroad. She, like Sojourner Truth was also born a slave. In December 1849, she escaped from slavery and began rescuing slaves in 1850. She helped lead dozens of runaway black slaves to freedom, including her own parents who were led to freedom in 1857. In April 1858 she was introduced to abolitionist John Brown, who unlike Dr. King, advocated the use of violence to destroy slavery in the United States. When the war ended, Harriet Tubman retired to her family home and like Sojourner Truth became active in the women's suffrage movement. In January 1863 shortly after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, she became the commander of the team in charge of espionage. In March 1913, Harriet Tubman died at the age of 93 of pneumonia in the Home for Aged Colored People that she helped found. The home was later renamed in her honor.
"Sanctuary"
When we look at the church today, some still question why black people form separate congregations. Hated for their skin color, black people rarely found love, acceptance, and safety outside family except in one place: the Black church. At Sunday worship, Wednesday prayer meetings, Friday youth nights, summer day camps--the historically Black church was a true sanctuary from a time of terror and rejection. As a black woman pastor, I can understand the feelings of rejection. It is difficult to find true sanctuary when color, gender, and/or giftedness becomes a barrier to ministry. Yet like, my abolitionist sisters before me, I seek the only sanctuary and shelter that sees me as a daughter of the King. In Psalm 27, David declares three promises from the Lord in times of trouble. He will keep me safe in His dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent, and He will set me high upon a rock. (verse 5) It's a comfort to know that like the church which sheltered the black slaves, the Lord is a sheltering God. He is, was, and will always be a sanctuary to all needing refuge.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Pastor Sheree
At this moment as I am sitting here writing this blog, Hurricane Florence is bearing down on the coasts of North and South Carolina. The governors of the respective states are issuing states of emergency and urging people to evacuate to a safer place. However, while many are heeding their governors' warnings, there are some who take a different point of view. The storm chasers are the ones who defy the odds and potentially risk their lives to stand against the storm. Some of those storm chasers are foolish people who for selfish reasons fantasize that by staying in their homes they can be safe and at the same time protect their property. In their foolishness they not only risk their own lives but the lives of rescue personnel who may need to go out and physically remove them from their homes to a safer location. Other storm chasers are professionals who are trained to fly into the "eye" of the storm to gather crucial information regarding how potent the storm is as well as how fast it is traveling. They can relay this information back to meteorological sites who can better track the storm and then pass the pertinent information on to television viewers and social media. At the end of the day, there is nothing anyone can do to stop a storm from impacting an area and leaving a path of destruction. However, there is one storm chaser that can and did make a difference in the lives of others.
Don't Be Afraid!
In Matthew 14:22-32 we read the familiar story of Jesus walking on water. Jesus had sent His disciples ahead by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the process the boat began to be buffeted by waves because of strong winds. The disciples were trying their best to make it through the rough waters and get out of the turmoil. Jesus could have let them struggle until they made it to the other side. Instead He "chased" the storm and came to them walking on the water. Initially they were fearful, thinking He was a ghost. However, Jesus reassured them not to be afraid, that it was really Him walking on the water. Peter at this point decided he wanted to chase the storm also, "Lord, if it is You," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." (Matthew 14:28 NIV) Jesus told Peter to come but as he was walking towards Jesus, Peter became afraid of the wind and waves and he began to sink, crying out, "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30 NIV) Jesus did not hesitate to reach out His hand and pull Peter to safety, rebuking him for his lack of faith. Matthew goes on to tell us, "And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:32-33)
Take Courage!
Unlike Jesus, human storm chasers cannot always save people from the poor choices they make or the dangerous weather situations over which there is no control. All people can do is run in the opposite direction away from the storm. However, Jesus never runs away from the storms that enter our lives. He runs towards them, chasing them, and calling on us not to be afraid because He is able to bring calm out of the chaos in our lives. Despite Peter's fear and doubt, he had the initial boldness to step out of the boat in the midst of the turmoil and walk towards Jesus. Do we have the same boldness to trust the Lord when the storms of life overwhelm us? May Jesus' words to His disciples be our encouragement, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid...."Come." (Matthew 14:27;29 NIV)
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree
