Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Grace Sought When None Seems Available



            The period in Scripture known as the time of the Judges was one of the saddest in Biblical history. It began with the death of Joshua and the elders who served with him. It ended with Israel at her one of her lowest points spiritually. Between those two places, the children of Israel began a downward spiral that included times of closeness with and obedience to God and His Word that was accompanied by the leadership of a judge followed by outright idolatry and rebellion after the judge had died. With each act of defiance God would seek them out, calling His people to repentance, but after receiving only indifference and spite in return, the Lord would turn them over to an oppressive nation for discipline and punishment for their sins. Each successive instance proved longer and more detrimental to His people, yet they still continued to rebel against the Lord. I encourage you to read the book of Judges, especially chapters 1-16 for verification.
            Like Israel, there can be no doubt that our nation has sinned against the Lord who brought us into being as a people. We have turned our backs on Him as sure as the sun rises to proclaim a new day each morning. Our laws capriciously deny life to those to whom He has given it and give liberty to sin to those whom He has called specifically to repentance. In so doing, we find no shame in mocking His holiness and His people, those called by His Name, sit idly by and watch these things being done while voicing little, if any, opposition. We are so divided as to not make any difference if we chose to make ourselves be known. Our concern lies more in mansions for worship, mansions for homes or mansions in heaven. We care little for the truth of God’s Word and taking our stand upon it so that the world will know what is right, what is wrong and Who we represent. Because of our complacency, our nation is in peril, spiritual and otherwise. We must awaken from our slumber.
`           Typically, we assume that in viewing parallels of principles from the Scriptures, as in the book of Judges, we must look for some outside enemy to invade our shores or attack from the air. In this case, we would quickly join together and mount a defense. However, we have yet to see that our enemy has already attacked us on several fronts and we have not even risen from our seats to cry out in defiance. Our economy is in shambles. Our unemployment rate is uncharacteristically high and has been for years. Our military resources are stretched extremely thin. Our government continually wants to grow and become more and more our Savior in all areas of life. Many of our churches are more concerned about competition with other churches to see who can have the most attendees and offer the biggest programs, rather than investing themselves in the lives of others for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. The combination of all of these factors is resulting in a nation devoid of spiritual and moral direction, ripe for the arrival of someone who will promise redemption and hope but who will bring only oppression and pain. That day, a day like those experienced by the Judges, may well be upon us already.
            If this be so, what then can we who really believe and serve Christ do? First of all, we must not lose hope. The nation that was founded by Christians, though post-Christian it may be at present, still has the opportunity to repent and return to the Lord who brought her into being initially and who can redeem her if her people, especially God’s people within her, are willing to do so. Secondly, we should “pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways…” as according to II Chronicles 7:14. We need to look into our own lives, asking God to forgive our sins of omission and commission so that we can be clean enough to see the way ahead and respond to His direction without hesitation even as we pray diligently for His leadership. Thirdly, we should not be afraid to share and “speak truth” (rf. Ephesians 4:25) with love, even as we live it before the eyes of an unbelieving nation. After all, Jesus said that we are “the salt of the earth, the light of the world”; as such, we have a responsibility to discharge in disclosing plainly through life and lips the reality and truth of Scriptural knowledge and action.
            If we follow such a path, who knows but that we as believers in Christ might yet redeem our nation. T’would be a great blessing to see the God of mercy move in the midst of this people once again to save many of her number. However, we must take Him seriously enough in reference to the warnings He has already given us and take action to repent, pray and begin living as becomes our Lord and Savior, our Standard-Bearer, Jesus Christ. Then, maybe, just maybe, the greatest days of our nation may yet be ahead of her.