The referendum on the Stormont Agreement of Good Friday was phenomenal, not only because of the numbers involved, but also for the clearly expressed desire for lasting peace, and for increasing faith, hope, and love in our way of life. In working out the implications of the referendum we are in a way like the early church. It accepted the message of the King of Love and His way of life. It too was seeking to perceive and know what things ought to be done, and praying for God's help in doing so.
In perusing the story of the early church in the Acts of the Apostles, the reader is stirred because he is seeing Christianity, the real thing, in action for the first time in human history. The new-born church, as vulnerable as a human child, having neither money nor influence, nor power in the ordinary sense, is setting forth joyfully and courageously to win the world for God through Christ. The young church, like all young creatures, is appealing in its simplicity and single-heartedness. Here we are seeing the church in its first youth, valiant and unspoiled, a body of ordinary women and men joined in an unconquerable fellowship never before seen.
The whole world is awaiting the release of God's love through human personalities. It is always available. There is nothing in the experience of believers to suggest that it is available cheaply. It is at the cost of definite surrender and prayer.
"The supreme wonder of the history of the Christian Church is that always in moments when it has seemed most dead, out of its own body there has sprung up new life; so that in age after age it has renewed itself, and age after age by its renewal has carried the world forward into new stages of progress, as it will do for us in our day, if only we give ourselves to its Lord and take our place in its service."
Today, July 4th, is Independence Day in the United States of America. We take our place in the service of peace, and rally to our God, who is marching on:
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on!
He hath sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgement seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer him; be jubilant my feet!
Our God is marching on!
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on.
He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave;
He is wisdom to the mighty; he is succour to the brave;
So the world shall be his footstool and the soul of time his slave:
Our God is marching On.