My fellow Christ-followers, let’s have a family chat.
Our nation has been so caught up in double whammy from the Supreme Court that the news of terror attacks on three continents has gone almost without mention. Perhaps we can only absorb so much bad news at a time. Maybe we’ve even exceeded our saturation point.
So if I’m to address what Christians are to do now, you’re probably expecting me to write about how we respond to the unfolding permutations of the high court’s decisions. But no. Because that would keep our focus on what is temporal, which is exactly what the enemy wants.
But what our heavenly Father wants is quite different. He doesn’t want us lying back defeatedly while we lick our wounds and lament our inability to rebound politically from the latest setbacks. No. He wants us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, look at the clock and make up for lost time.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers . . . As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:7,10-11
It would be irresponsible for us to be uninvolved in the political process, and the 2016 elections are vitally important. But no political shift will save our nation.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: The problems our nation faces are not political. They’re spiritual. People are trapped in darkness into which we haven’t allowed our lights to shine, yet we continue to stare in wonderment as sinners do what sinners do, as if we expect them to live by our code.
That’s like a neurosurgeon handing a plumber his instruments and expecting him to perform brain surgery, or the plumber expecting the neurosurgeon to install new pipes.
What this world needs is what much of this world is convinced it doesn’t want: Jesus. Some don’t want Jesus because they love their sin too much. Some don’t want Him because they’ve never actually met anyone who accurately represents Him. But some don’t want Him because they don’t know anything about Him at all, apart from what is evident to us all. (See Romans 1:20.)
We must be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20); be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within us with gentleness and respect, an admonition many have forgotten (1 Peter 3:15); and actively go and make disciples, knowing Jesus will remain with us to the end (Matthew 28:19-20).
Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, imparted upon regenerated souls, can the light shatter the darkness and the blind be made to see. And only by the faithful witness of God’s people can the gospel be proclaimed so the Holy Spirit can be imparted.
We have much work to do. But we don’t do it alone. And we shouldn’t do it defeatedly or halfheartedly. Our Lord deserves better than that. We too are sinners, and it’s only by God’s grace He sees our sins no more. The world is no more lost than we once were. Remember . . .
The end of all things is at hand.
Let’s show the world the love that forever wins.
Indeed, the end of all things is at hand. We are headed out tonight to go door to door, so Cheri, we can use your prayers.
Praise God! Show ’em how it’s done! I am praying.
Dennis, I’m praying for you, too!