Close to seventeen years ago my younger brother was killed in a plane accident. The company he worked for held a memorial service for it’s employees who were killed, and offered to fly all those family members who would like to attend to the service. You would think that getting on a light aircraft would be the last thing anyone of us would want to do. But I made up my mind the first few days after my brother’s accident to not allow fear to dictate how I was going to live. Which is why I made myself get on that plane to go to my brother’s memorial service.
On the way to the airport and during the flight there was a song going through my head, called “you’re the voice”. Some of the words of the song go as follows:
“You’re the voice, try and understand it
Make a noise and make it clear
We’re not gonna sit in silence
We’re not gonna live with fear
This time, we know we all can stand together
With the power to be powerful
Believing, we can make it better”.
That song and the message I received from God through it have has remained with me since that flight when I went to remember my brother and the other men who died. It often comes to my mind when I may be feeling hesitant or powerless, and has served as a way to “give me a kick” on the occasions when I most needed to pull myself together, and remember who I am and the purpose God has for my life.
We all have a voice, and we all have something to say. We are powerful and we have to believe that we can make things better. We have to believe that we can make our world, our nations, our states and our communities better. Better for us, our neighbours, for our children, and for the generations to come. This is not a time to lie down and say it’s too hard, or it’s impossible, or what difference can I make? It’s the time to lift our voice and know that our prayers do make a difference. For us to know that we are powerful, and that with God nothing is impossible.
Too often we can sit in silence and live in fear, when God says we all have the power and ability to make such a difference individually, and together for the common good. We don’t have to sit back and do nothing when others are suffering, lonely, hurting, or when evil is pushing it’s agenda. We can help, and we can all stem the tide of suffering and evil; even if that just begins with us reaching out, or standing for what what is right and good, one person at a time.
Today believe that you can make things better. That your prayers are powerful, and your voice and actions are something that God has made to be heard. There are no little people in Gods kingdom; just one’s who haven’t realised who they are yet.
As Catherine of Siena once said, “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.’ (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Prayer: Lord help me to see who I am, and that you have made me powerful, and with abilities designed specially to make a difference. Help me to use my voice, my hands, my feet and all that I am to stand for what is right, and just and true, and to be someone whom you can use to make a difference in this day and hour. In Jesus name Amen.
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