Encouraging Words 8/5/09-"Following God's Will in Stand on GLBT Rights"

Here's a straight ally who is just trying to figure out what God wants: From the Lincoln, NE Journal-Star; here's an excerpt:

I guess the main difference is, unlike many of my Christian brothers and sisters, I don't believe you forbid people of the same gender from loving each other, committing to each other, and expressing that love and commitment through sex and marriage.

In fact, I believe that you already have blessed many same-sex relationships, which in your eyes are spiritual marriages, and that you have extended your blessing without waiting for permission from either the government or churches. And, as I've said before, I think you are calling people like me, those in the majority who are relatively unaffected by gay rights issues, to stand up for those in the minority who are affected.

The question is, how did I get here? How does anyone like me, raised in predominantly Christian surroundings, go from believing homosexuality is a sin to believing that, not only is it not a sin, but that you are calling me to stand up for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people?

So, Lord, even to this day, I humbly recognize that without presuming to be you, no one on either side of the debate can rule out that they might be wrong about what you think. But that controversy stands in stark contrast to the fact that you clearly, without a doubt, call us to love one another - and to love each other regardless of what genders we are attracted to.

Lord, the conviction that you are calling me and others to take a stand for GLBT civil rights is strong, and so that's what I'm doing. In love, faith and obedience, your will, not mine, be done. Amen.

Amen indeed! Brenda and I aren't doing this ministry work because we're bored and have too much time on our hands--we feel the calling of the Lord has led us here.

I'm glad he also called Lisa Pytlikzillig, the author of this article. Click here to read the rest of it.