Rev. Mark H. Creech
Mourning deeply enough for change
FacebookTwitter
By Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 12, 2015

The late Dr. James Montgomery Boice in his commentary on Christ's Sermon on the Mount tells the story of a young boy from England walking along the streets of Harrow, who came upon an indigent man's funeral.

The poor man's body had been put in a coffin of inferior workmanship and pushed through the street on a hand-drawn cart. The men who escorted it, apparently inebriated, wove their way through the streets while singing their drinking songs and telling lewd stories.

While on their way up a hill to the graveyard, the coffin slid off the cart and broke open. To a bunch of drunks the whole scene was hilarious, but to onlookers it was disgusting. So moved with sorrow at the sad scene of depravity, this young boy declared to himself, "When I grow up I am going to use my life to see that such things never happen."

That young boy, Boice reveals was Lord Shaftesbury, the mighty English social reformer, who probably did more to improve the lives of the common man in England during the 19th century than any other person.

Boice said that Christ's words, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matt. 5:4), can refer to such sorrow.

Boice wrote, "To each of us, therefore, the second beatitude is a call to involvement in the social arena – in the struggle of blacks for true equality, the plight of underpaid workers, pollution of our natural resources, education, ethical problems in politics, medicine, and business, and other contemporary problems – just as Christians were formerly active in the war against slavery, child labor, lack of freedom of the press, and immorality. We should mourn for such things. And we should mourn deeply enough to do something about them."

Recently I was interviewed as a guest on a local television talk show. I shared with the host much of the motivation behind my Christian activism as head of the Christian Action League of North Carolina. "I have eight grandchildren," I told him, "and I want them to remain free. I want them to enjoy the liberty that you and I have enjoyed and taken for granted for all of our lives. Liberty is now in great jeopardy, not simply because of the policies in place in our nation, but because we have forsaken and abandoned God."

It's not noticeable in the video, but when I made those remarks my eyes welled-up with tears and I struggled to keep my emotions in check for the sake of the program.

Still, let me say, I am not ashamed of those tears. I am not ashamed of such sorrow. I believe it is the work of God's Spirit. I think I am experiencing the very heart of God, who himself mourns for our wayward nation and the tragic consequences certain to befall it unless we repent.

Luke chapter 19 records the time when Jesus approached the city of Jerusalem and wept over its impending destruction forty years before it happened. Jesus knew Jerusalem's inhabitants had thoroughly rejected the way of God. He foresaw their judgment and the utter destruction of the Temple. He wept not only over the intense suffering that was sure to come, but over the foolish stubbornness and unbelief of the people.

We appear to be living in just such a day, and the end result can only be painful for us too.

I think that prospect breaks the heart of God. And whatever breaks the heart of God should break our heart.

But let me also add that sometimes tears shed, sincerely borne out of concern for the plight of others, can result in things being turned around, changed, and made for the better.

In his Guidebook for Pastors, the late Baptist preacher, W.A. Criswell tells a remarkable story about a traveler who made a long journey to the church of the famous pastor, Robert Murray McCheyne.

McCheyne is said to have died at the mere age of twenty-nine from literally burning himself out for God.

When the visitor arrived, he was exceedingly frustrated to learn McCheyne was away. The man had come for miles earnestly seeking to discover what made the minister tick – what made him have such a profound impact on Scotland and the religious world.

The custodian present observed the disappointment registered on the visitor's face and asked the reason for it. When the man explained his purpose in coming, the caretaker said, "Come with me. I can show you." He took the traveler to the study of the pastor and said, "See that chair? That is his chair. Sit down in it. Now place your arms on the desk, bury your face in your hands, and weep." Next he took the traveler to the pulpit in the sanctuary, then said, "Climb into the pulpit and stand behind it. Now bury your face in your hands and weep."

Perhaps if God's people had that kind of burden for the severe spiritual and political needs of our time, and perhaps if we would mourn deeply enough to forget ourselves and sacrificially do something to address those needs, a few tears shed by us might avert much weeping by the masses later.

The Psalmist admonishes: "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psalm 125:6).

O Lord, cause your people to mourn deeply for the peril of our nation. And cause them to mourn deeply enough to do something about it.

© Rev. Mark H. Creech

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

Click to enlarge

Rev. Mark H. Creech

Rev. Mark H. Creech is Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc. He was a pastor for twenty years before taking this position, having served five different Southern Baptist churches in North Carolina and one Independent Baptist in upstate New York.

Rev. Creech is a prolific speaker and writer, and has served as a radio commentator for Christians In Action, a daily program featuring Rev. Creech's commentary on social issues from a Christian worldview.

In addition to RenewAmerica.com, his weekly editorials are featured on the Christian Action League website and Agape Press, a national Christian newswire.

Subscribe

Receive future articles by Rev. Mark H. Creech: Click here

More by this author

July 27, 2024
Executive Director of Christian Action League to take a month-long sabbatical


July 13, 2024
‘No other gods before me’: Seven false gods of the present age (Part 2)


June 24, 2024
‘No other gods before me’: Seven false gods of the present age


June 17, 2024
‘No other gods before me’: The first commandment’s national significance


June 8, 2024
From ancient idols to modern misconceptions: The call to worship only God


June 3, 2024
Restoring ethical foundations: The Ten Commandments in American culture


May 27, 2024
Repeating history: Medicinal whiskey’s echoes in medical marijuana policy


May 20, 2024
Billy Graham’s statue in the Capitol: What does it mean for the country?


May 10, 2024
Pillars of society: Reclaiming traditional motherhood in modern times


May 6, 2024
Navigating faith and civic responsibility: Pastor Loran Livingston’s controversial sermon


More articles

 

Stephen Stone
HAPPY EASTER: A message to all who love our country and want to help save it

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
FLASHBACK to 2020: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Kari Lee Fournier
Almighty God vs. Satan: American Revolution #2—It’s here!

Curtis Dahlgren
Drunk on power, the power of lies (but will it work this time?)

Cliff Kincaid
The CIA loses faith in Kamala

Desmond McGrath
Are you ready for Guy Fawkes night Nov. 5th?

Michael Bresciani
Too Late for "he said, she said" – Kamala and her liberal cadre must now drag their horrific record across the finish

Madeline Crabb
Important spiritual warning about Election 2024

Frank Louis
Okay, I get it. There’s a lot going on, a lot that’s gone on…Nonetheless

Cherie Zaslawsky
The tide has turned: Kamala sinking like a lead balloon; Trump taking off like a rocket!

Curtis Dahlgren
What's really at stake: freedom of the individual versus Collectivism

Frank Louis
Leaked passwords, burning ballot boxes, added apostrophes: What next? Oh yeah… that too.

Madeline Crabb
Election consequences – What if this one is the last?

Jerry Newcombe
What’s at stake in the current election?
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites