For many people, life has become as dull and despairing as death. We suffer from spiritual inertia. We have allowed ourselves to be paralyzed by shallow beliefs and shackled by the strong chains of discouragement. We have permitted the sacred and holy to be eclipsed by the secular and profane. Hearts that were once gay have suddenly become heavy. Men who were once optimistic have become pessimistic. Many who were once willing to greet tomorrow with a cheer, now regard the future with nervous anxiety.
What we have here are powerless people who live in the night of spiritual darkness. It is a spiritual calamity- a dead situation. It is people whose spirit and life has dried up and the artesian springs of their souls has ceased to flow. They are, in essence, like a desert without a living stream of water. They are spiritual carcasses roaming around in the night-ness of their wretched existence.
Not only have they lost confidence in our world, but they have also lost faith in themselves and in God. They have become like zombies-carcasses with no life, dry bones in the valley, the walking dead. Dead, but not dead dead, if you will. The body is alive, but void of spirituality; form without substance. They are like thousands of folks today who have allowed prosperity and privilege to destroy their spirit; destroy their lives ? people with everything to live on and nothing to live for; the living dead; people with the stint of death on them ready for the open grave.
Well, the question is, can the spiritually dead be made alive? Can the spiritually bankrupt live again?
If you want life, you must come to the awareness that in order to cope with life's many complexities, life itself demands you draw meaning for your life from something greater within and beyond yourself-a higher source. That source of power that satisfies and enables victorious living is known as God. When the breath of Almighty God moves in upon you, new life is restored to dry bones. When He blows, we are enabled to keep going even when we feel we cannot take another step. When the wind of God's Spirit blows-bones move. Are you living or are you among the dead?
Rev. Saundra L. Washington, is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow, Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances, Homilies that Teach.
![]() Google News Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:04 GMT With Outlook Dim, Bernanke Says Fed May Act on Rates - New York Times
New York Times - By DAVID STOUT and EDMUND L. ANDREWS WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, said on Tuesday that the turmoil in the financial markets had increased the risk to overall growth and that federal regulators would have to be vigilant to ... Video: Bernanke signals possible rate cut Bernanke hints at possible interest rate cut Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:40:38 GMT Tehran confirms seizure of aircraft - Financial Times
Financial Times - By Thomas Escritt in Budapest and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in,Tehran Iran yesterday revealed that it had forced a Hungarian-crewed transport aircraft to land after it strayed into the Islamic republic's airspace at the end of last month. Iran Withdraws Claim on US Plane US Military: Tense Encounters With Iran Occur Almost Daily Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:08:03 GMT ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada authorities seized records Tuesday from a group they accused of submitting fraudulent voter-registration forms - including for the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys. Non-Profit Raided In Voter Fraud Probe ACORN Nevada Office Raided Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:01:25 GMT Study Shows Weak Circumcision/HIV Benefit for Gay/Bisexual Men - WebMD
WebMD - By Daniel J. DeNoon Oct. 7, 2008 -- Circumcision offers little HIV protection to gay/bisexual men -- overall. But it might cut HIV risk in predominantly insertive partners. Circumcision HIV impact doubted AIDS Benefits of Circumcision Are Limited, Study Finds Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:24:47 GMT Uneasy calm in Bangkok after day of deadly riots - Reuters
Reuters - BANGKOK, Oct 8 (Reuters) - An uneasy calm settled over the Thai capital on Wednesday after the worst street violence in 16 years the day before, when two people died and nearly 400 were injured in clashes between police and anti-government protesters. Video: Raw Video: Tear Gas Fired at Thai Protestors Two dead as Thai troops battle protesters Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:18:31 GMT McCain, Obama discuss possible Treasury secretary picks - Reuters
Reuters - NASHVILLE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama both mentioned investor Warren Buffett as a possible pick for Treasury secretary on Tuesday but both spoke in only general terms about the qualities they would seek ... McCain, Obama agree that Buffett could lead US treasury (Extra) A Strong eBay, A Strong Government Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:06:13 GMT Nashville Knockout: What To Watch For - Washington Post
Washington Post - Riggers lift scaffolding into place in front of the Curb Events event site at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, as preparations continue for Tuesday's presidential debate. WRAPUP 5-Obama, McCain battle over taxes, economy Presidential debate: minute by minute Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:08:13 GMT Increased Website Traffic |
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