The Occupy Movement and a Calling for Grace

The occupy movement has gotten attention worldwide for it’s vocal protests of economic issues. And certainly whether you agree or not with the politics of “occupy,” you would have to agree that things are different in the world than they were just few years ago, regardless who is to blame, if anyone—and that regardless of what the facts may be, those protesting do have a felt “sense of theft” or “injustice” by a system larger than themselves. Many in they occupy movement have expressed a new distrust of government as if that’s something new. Trust the government? (Ask a native American.) There may be some valid concerns here, concerns not easy to dismiss. But I’m more concerned about how it seems that we can no longer trust one another like we once did – be it the neighbors across the street and sometimes even our spouses or ourselves. I think there’s a bigger “occupy” at stake. I want to call it the “occupation of the heart.” OCCUPY THE HEART Before getting all “biblical,” let me warn you that I am going to do just that. So here goes. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (II Timothy 3: 1-5/KJV) Let’s face it, whether or not we’re living in the end of the last times we are in perilous times and they can be brutal. Far from the security that so many of us knew, particularly in the United States, Australia and Western Europe (and a few other places). Our hearts, minds and souls are occupied with so much trouble on so many fronts. What can we do in light of all of this? The ONLY Refuge I know of is Jesus.