Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…” Luke 4:18

On May 17 1957, nearly 25,000 demonstrators gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., for a Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, featuring three hours of spirituals, songs, and speeches that urged the federal government to fulfill the three-year-old Brown v. Board of Education decision. The last speech of the day was reserved for Martin Luther King’s “Give Us the Ballot” speech, which captured public attention and placed him in the national spotlight as a major leader of the civil rights movement.

Dr. King was a preacher, a pastor, and a civil rights activist. His was not an easy path. In January 1956 during the Montgomery bus boycott, he received a threatening phone call late in the evening. He couldn’t sleep. He was at a breaking point with exhaustion – he considered giving up. He spoke to G-d and, in time he heard the voice of G-d saying: “Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth. G-d will be at your side forever.”

Jesus was sitting in the temple one day, and the people were waiting with anticipation at what he might say. He opened a scroll of the Hebrew bible. He found this passage from the prophet Isaiah (61:1-2) and read it aloud: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Today this scripture has been fulfilled.” Jesus was announcing that He was the awaited Messiah who was prophesied to free the oppressed, and release those bound by disease. Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, Jesus did change the course of human history and we believe today that He has come to forgive sins. His teachings, especially regarding love of neighbor and being a servant of all still inform and inspire the lives of millions of people across this country.

Dr. King preached a similar message. In his “I have a dream” speech he said, “I have a dream that one day every valley will be exalted, every hill and mountain will be made low, the rough places will be make a plain…and the glory of the Lord will be revealed. I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Where are we today in the march to equality, in the hope for righteousness for all, and in proclaiming our love for all people, no matter the color of their skin, the faith they proclaim, or the contents of their bank account? Take time today to read passages regarding Jesus’ love; and then take your petitions to G-d – and listen for G-d’s still, small voice. Listen to the Spirit that will guide you in how you can live into the love of Jesus Christ in service to everyone you encounter.

Pastor Dave