Where Do We Go From Here?
Published in The Rise Newspaper
Dr. King asked a very vital question in his day, One well worth repeating in this hour. That question was, “Where do you go from here?”
There are those who would like to reduce Dr. King’s vision to a mere dream, thus the title “The Dreamer.” However, a careful survey of his life reveals that not only was Dr. King a visionary but that he was also a prophet.
Dr. King, the Moses of his day, delivered many speeches and within those speeches we find words of encouragement, exaltation and warning. He was not the first to deliver what some might consider mixed messages in his sermons. There was another and He was non other than the one we have come to know as Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible, Jesus said that A Greater love had no man than to lay down his life for his friend. We know the story of how his life was sacrificed for our sins. Yet, on the other hand he stated, “Think not that I am come to send Peace on the earth, I come not to send peace but a sword.”
Jesus and Martin had several things in common, both their messages were rooted and ground in the scriptures and both died for what they believed. Their very deaths still fuel or impact our lives today.
We might best understand our own shortcomings by studying the followers of both these men. Jesus himself told his followers that they would scatter in fear and they did just that. Martin followers, it would appear were in part swallowed-up by the very system he lost his life opposing.
Both Jesus and Martin left us with inspiring words concerning the blessing that lay ahead of us. These men came offering far more than the sacrifice of their life, they came with a word that would be resounded throughout history.
Yes, Martin most certainly did make reference to freedom ringing, but he also gave us a hint that this day would be a future day. He said, “…we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children – black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants – will join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro Spiritual, “Free at last, free at last: thank God almighty, we are free at last.”
However, we must also keep in mind that Martin also said, “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places shall be made plain, and the crooked places shall be made straight and the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
Point being that we still have some difficult days ahead. Long before Martin spoke the words of the leveling of this land it was recorded in Isaiah 40:4. God reveals his word to his prophet that we as a people may be aware and take heed.
We must be mindful today that no lie can live forever and that the truth crush to earth will rise again. Today that truth is rising and it is seeking out it’s own. There is no time for ignorance today.
Jesus once said, “Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Today we must also search the scriptures, for in them is eternal life for those to whom the word is revealed.
The question is indeed, “Where do we go from here?” There is no road map or is there? It’s time we got beyond the ignorance that keeps us in shallow graves of ignorance and came into the knowledge of who we are.
In order to ensure that his disciples understood his message Jesus asked them a question, “Whom do men say that I am” Mark 8:27.
Today we must make sure just as Jesus did with his disciples, that we understand not only his relationship but our relationship as well with the Father.
When we come to understand our relationship to God, we too like Martin will be able to say “He is lifting up the hearts of man before his judgment seat. Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him. Be jubilant, my feet. Our God is marching on.”
Where do we go from here? The answer is recorded in the scripture, it has been there for years.
