For such a Time as This
In Esther 4:14, we read this: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
In the book of Esther we read about how one woman saved a nation because of her passion to see justice. She risked her life to see the Jewish nation saved from the annihilation of those that hated the Jewish people. Just one person, yet she helped to save a nation.
Perhaps many of us have been born for such a time as this.
We may come from different backgrounds, in our faith, our culture etc. but we can surely stand together with the commonality of ensuring that our very new equal rights (for GLBTI people) are not compromised by homophobic polemics, who claim too much, about the very little they think they know, about who we are.
I believe it is everyone's responsibility as gay and lesbian people, to take a stand to protect the equality in our nation, regarding GLBTI people, which is very possibly at great risk with the stance of our newly elected President, who has publicly confessed his homophobic stance in the past. Along with him, we have Pastor Ray McCauley who has his own agenda to reverse the same-sex marriage laws, among other laws that he believes "fly in the face of God".
This saddens me, because what flies in the face of God, more than anything, is when the Church places conditional love on whom is welcome and whom is not.
The Bible states clearly, that all are welcome to throne of God. John 3:16 says: "Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord may come." Acts 2:21 "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
God's love is unconditional, and it is that love that changes people and nations, not human judgement.
Esther was raised up for "such a time as this". I believe that our time to stand together like never before as a holistic community of GLBTI people, represented in every aspect, has come.
Many have gone before us and paved the way, through agonising opposition whilst many of us have "reaped the benefits" of those who have previously fought for us, who changed the constitution because of their deep-rooted passion to see justice served, and who have strived for equality for our community.
But it is a new season now, and those of us that have stood in the sidelines for so long, must move from the sidelines to the stand in the front line together now.
Unity and solidarity has much more strength and power than staying invisible and thinking we are making a contribution by simply being in agreement.
You don't have to be an activist, but all of us can be active in supporting our "right to marry". These are not "special" rights, but rights that any human being should have the choice to make, with the person that they choose to spend the rest of their life with.
Anything less is discrimination, bred out of ignorance and homophobia.
The time has come for us to stand up and be counted. Don't remain silent any longer, come out of the toxic closets of shame and let your voices be heard.
Let's join hands and do this together. After all, who will we blame when we no longer have marriage rights, or no longer have the protection of the constitution? This would be a travesty of justice.
Keep your eyes on what is happening and get involved on some level and make a difference in helping by standing up for who you are in Christ as a gay or lesbian person.
We cannot go back into the 19th century. We need some "Esthers" to arise and take a risk or two for our community, and our right to freedom.
Here are some groups on Facebook that you could join as a start:
Deo Gloria Family Church (Facebook group)
(PICSA) Progressive Interfaith Coalition of South Africa (Facebook group)
SA GLAAD (Facebook group) or visit the SA GLAAD Web Site
Blessings and Regards
Rev. Deborah Bell
Senior Pastor - Deo Gloria Family Church