Australia has voted and the result of the marriage equality vote is disappointing for many and raises some valid concerns going forward.  Some have stated that this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and there is much more to follow.  They may well be right. 

So, when it comes to the ‘rainbow’ community, it’s good to be reminded on that it wasn’t Harvey Milk* who designed the colours of the rainbow.  Our faithful God designed it and after the flood said that the ‘rainbow’ was now to be a sign for the world that He would never destroy the world with a flood again.   So, rather than being prophets of doom perhaps we should be asking, “How can the Lord use us in this situation to continue shining the light for Christ?” 

It is without a doubt that the darkness is becoming increasingly dark but the light of Jesus Christ is just as bright as when it first appeared in our darkened hearts and light always appears brighter where darkness increases.  So, let us not withdraw or become isolationists.  When the Lord Jesus came into this world, He ate with sinners and tax collectors and may we do likewise and not shy away as the early church leaders did.

Since our Saviour God is on the throne and that will never change, we can have every confidence going forward.   He still loves sinners and especially those who repent.   Yes, we would appreciate it if we can keep our religious freedoms in that we will not be forced to marry same-sex-couples.  The Coalition for Marriage will be lobbying our politicians on our behalf to ensure that these promises will be kept.  But there is so much more we can do. 

Just as there is brokenness amongst heterosexual married couples, so there are amongst the LGBTIQ communities.  Let us, therefore, seek out ways where we can help pick up the pieces of broken lives where relationships and hopes have been dashed.  Perhaps we can open our homes to people whose lives have been broken.  Perhaps as churches, we can help support other community groups, financial or otherwise who are setting up places of refuge to help these people.   As businesses, let’s not ostracize these communities, for not only would that be discriminatory, it would be just as wrong as not being willing to serve someone from another race or religion.  

So, let us live Christ and shine the light of Christ to these communities and pray that the Lord would change people’s hearts and lives by his Word and Spirit, turning all people in true repentance from their ungodliness to the saving work of Christ and embracing Him as Lord.  For He is our hope and we pray that He also may become their hope.  JZ.

(*The rainbow flag first rose to prominence when Harvey Milk, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the first openly gay politician in a major U.S. city, asked Baker to make a flag for a march he was organizing — just a few months before Milk was assassinated.  Apparently, this rainbow coloured flag was chosen for it represented gay people from all nations and from every colour.)