20 Jan, 2009
The back-to-back celebrations for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and the inauguration of the first black president are proving to be a powerful magnet for music and movie stars who want a piece of the biggest celebration in the nation's capital since the Bicentennial.
And to witness what some believe is a dream finally fulfilled.
The Queen of Soul also has made her way to Washington and said she would be singing for "two of the greatest men in history"...King in a Monday concert and Barack Obama when he is sworn in Tuesday.
"I think that Obama is the fruition of much of what certainly some of the civil rights movement was about," Aretha Franklin said.
And some advice for the president-to-be:...she wants the new president to pace himself and "keep God in the plan." To help, Franklin plans to pass along 17 sermons from her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, who marched with King in 1963.
Martin Luther King III is part of an all-star lineup at the inaugural's opening concert Sunday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial where his father delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
"I believe my father and I believe my mother will be looking down on us with a great amount of pride and honor, not arrogance, but pride for what this great nation has accomplished," said King who added that other family members will join him in Washington on inauguration eve.
(By BRETT ZONGKER, Associated Press Writer Brett Zongker, Fri Jan 16...to see the full story go to news.yahoo.com)
The Plan
Proverbs 21:1 (NIV)
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
What does God's story teach us about who is really in control?
Though it is appreciated that Aretha Franklin has given the advice to Barak Obama to "keep God is the plan", it appears to fall a bit short of the directives we find in scripture.
God never intended to be a marginal part of our lives, a small inclusion in our intentions or just another one of the pieces of the plans we put together. He is the sovereign King of the universe who calls us to seek Him first...above all else...and that the rest of our lives are to center themselves around His will for us. (This, I am sure, is what Aretha intended to communicate.)
What our new president really needs to do (and all of us with him) is seek God for what HIS plans are for our nation and humbly pray that He will heal our nation and turn our hearts towards Him.
How can we connect today's story and God's story to our lives?
If you would like to have your life become centered around His plans...here are a few tips:
- Change your "whens" to "ifs". It turns a sentence like, "When I get married..." to "If God has it for me to be married..." It will remind you often that it is HIS will you are seeking rather than your own. Maybe He has for you to be married and maybe He doesn't...that is for Him to show you down the road.
- Whenever you make plans with someone, just add the phrase "Lord willing" to the end. It is a great way to recognize that God may change plans and that you are always ready to go with His agenda over what you thought you were going to do.
- Spend time in His Word and in prayer daily...these are absolute musts if we are to know what He has for us to do as we walk through each day.
How can we connect today's story, God's story and my story with their story?
- Ask a friend where they plan to be 5 or 10 years from now. After listening, you can share with them about how your future is in God's hands. You can share what your hopes are, but that ultimately it is what He has for you that you are seeking.
- This may lead to them asking why you trust God with so much...or perhaps how you go about seeking this God you serve. Both are great opportunities to share about how amazing God is and how exciting the journey is that He has for each one of us!
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