Movement

"The Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 1 Corinthians 3:17

It is something that escapes the attentions of most people that travel to the downtown area of the biggest city (or what was once so) of the region, Detroit. It is known, especially when we win a hockey championship or a baseball championship or if we ever will win a football championship because we drap it with the jersey of that team. It is in the news when we have to pay for the restoration of its visage or when the newies are outside the Coleman J Young building (City of Detroit offices)and use it as a backdrop to whatever they are covering.

No one knows, or at least I believe they don't (due to lack of complaints by atheists and other religions), what the symbology is or what is inscribed on the wall behind the Spirit of Detroit. My friend was surprised by the fact that there is a Christian biblical verse behind the statue....a powerful and direct verse that speaks of the God, I AM, and cannot be transposed to 'substitute' for any other religion's god. It is what the city once stood for and what it wanted its spirit to be.

And it was what 20,000-30,000 Christians came to Comerica Park in the rainy early morning hours yesterday to reclaim.

The Spirit of Detroit is a city monument, created by Marshall Fredericks for the cost of 58,000 back in 1955. It was dedicated in 1958 and is 26-foot tall. It held the status of being the largest bronze sculpture cast since the Renaissance. It was restored in 2006 by private and foundation funds.

In its left hand, the large seated figure holds a gilt bronze sphere emanating rays to symbolize God. In its right hand, is a family group symbolizing all human relationships. A plaque in front of the sculpture bears the inscription, "The artist expresses the concept that God, through the spirit of man, is manifested in the family, the noblest human relationship."

As one of Detroit's most identifiable landmarks, a sketch of the statue is the central element of most of the logos of Detroit's city departments and services and is used as an image on the "Spirit Of Detroit Award" that is issued to a person, event or organization being honored for an outstanding achievement or service to the citizens of Detroit.

One of the most important aspects of the event that gathered Christians downtown yesterday wasn't the 1 million hours of community service that the E.A.C.H. movement wants to achieve with this collalition of churches, para-church and individuals (though it is a very important part of it) or the fact that the faithful gathered to pray for Detroit. It was simply said....

Where God is, where God would come and do His work and miracles and restoration; such a place has to believe in Him for it to happen. The Christians of Southeast Michigan gathered in Comerica Park to declare a moblization of the faithful to fight that disbelief and bring the Gospel message...THE GOOD NEWS....in an impactful way, through the investment of their lives into the city and surrounding suburbs. To join with the family that lives and worships in Detroit and join the toils of their hands with efforts to live the faith among those who do not believe, not for the sake of forcing the Gospel upon them but to show the faithful execution of a life given to Jesus Christ.

To beckon the Spirit of the Lord to come to the city of Detroit, a city where the world is watching what happens, to bring LIBERTY!

And that is something worthy of our efforts. And what the most noblest of all human relationships, the family, is for.

Let's do this!