National Spiritual Crises

-

A Call to a Nation in Need

Scripture: Matthew 12:25 Jesus said ““Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.[1](ESV)

Devotion

Our nation faces a great crisis. Greater even than the political crises that makes the news headlines constantly. The governmental shutdown is a symptom of a larger more pervasive crises. The opioid crises is another symptom of this larger issue with America. There is a full litany of slow-motion disasters that are wreaking havoc on America and indeed the world.

All of these are symptoms of a spiritual deadness that threatens to devour the nations of the world. Leaving in its wake people who can no longer tell right from wrong and indeed no longer desire to do so. Having given up on traditional religions as having no answers. They pursue what ever desire over comes them now no matter how selfish or how self-destructive it is. Leaving lonely, depressed, and broken humanity in their wake.

If something isn’t done and soon. I fear for the future generations. What to do at such a time as this? At the risk of sounding old fashioned I prescribe repentance. Just as the Old Testament prophets cried out to their nation to repent, so I cry out to this nation to repent of our evil ways. How many of our problems would disappear if we loved our neighbor as ourselves. (And we must learn to love ourselves again.)

Truly loving in this way is not easy nor does it make common sense. This love demands self-sacrifice. It insists that we tear down the walls in our hearts and learn to care for the needs of the less fortunate. We must open our lives to our neighbor in new and unexpected ways.

Only God can bring about such repentance and regeneration. Because only God can create the conditions necessary for true life to begin again. We must be born from above with a love only a loving God can provide. The secret is that God is more than willing to provide this love thru his son Jesus. This “born from above” life is not easy, but it is possible if only we will allow it to happen.

To the skeptics who say this life has been tried and found wanting. I say this life has been tried found challenging and discarded. There are many communities of faith who truly live out the life Christ has shown us how to live. Let us learn to treat each other and ourselves in a way that leads to a new beloved community.


[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 12:25.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapt...
Read more

The Hatred of the World

-
Scripture: John 15:18-20 (ESV) 18  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Devotion:             This scripture is compelling. It explains what happened to Jesus and His disciples some 2,000 years ago. The message of God is rarely welcome news for the world. It calls out many of the culture's favorite practices for what they are: sin. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, humankind has been adamant about trying to hide or excuse their sin. Sin causes a barrier between humans and God that humanity cannot overcom...
Read more

Reflecting on Reformation Day

-
  On October 31st, millions of Christians around the world celebrate Reformation Day, a commemoration of a pivotal moment in church history. It marks the day in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk and scholar, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This act, challenging the practices and doctrines of the Catholic Church, ignited what we now know as the Protestant Reformation. The Courage to Stand for Truth Reformation Day calls us to reflect on the courage it takes to stand for truth. Martin Luther faced immense opposition and risked his life to speak against the corruption and abuses he saw within the church. His conviction was rooted in a deep understanding of scripture and a sincere desire to return to the teachings of Christ. As we remember Luther's bravery, let us examine our own lives. Are we willing to stand firm in our beliefs, even when it is difficult? Do we seek truth in God's word and let it guide our actions? Script...
Read more