Faith Through the Journey

As with the just-concluded Olympics, you would have to be living with absolutely no contact with the outside world not to know what is happening in the political arena in the United States. There is also an extreme drought going on in the center of the United States which will most likely impact all Americans in the form of rising food prices. Having spent a little bit of time in Wisconsin recently, with agriculture being such a major part of its economy, the drought was front and center in that state. It prompted my recollection of a prophetic Scripture found in II Chronicles 7:13; the most quoted verse of that chapter is verse 14, but verse 13 leapt out at me as I thought about the dire predictions we’ve heard regarding the extreme drought plaguing our country. II Chronicles 7:13 AND 14 say: “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land, or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This passage absolutely places the responsibility for the disaster being visited upon the land on the shoulders of God’s people. The Bible is apolitical, not favoring one group over another, with the exception being the greater responsibility placed upon the people of God. For those who know the right thing to do and don’t do it, their responsibility is greater because they understand the truth and yet choose not to obey. Proverbs 14:34 says: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

There is no doubt that our country–founded upon such principles as religious freedom and a deep trust in our Creator–is in deep moral trouble. As we have watched the decline of traditional values, widespread disregard for human life in all its forms, compromise of even the most basic ideals of goodness and decency, there is no doubt that we are far from the principles upon which our great country was founded. And who is ultimately responsible for the decline of American society and values?

The blame lies squarely at the feet of the people of God. Every time we compromise the standard set forth in the Word of God about how we are to live, we weaken the fabric of decent society and move ever closer to the place where the American church looks exactly like a society that has NO moral compass whatsoever. When there is no difference between the way believers live and the way non-believers live, we have given our society over to the enemy of our souls. The people of God hold the future of our country in their hands. IF we are willing to stop compromising the absolute standards of God’s Word in every area of our lives and seek God’s face and forgiveness, then national healing can begin. If, however, we as believers have become so ingrained with the values espoused by a culture that runs opposite of the way God intended America to follow, we will crumble from within.

God is TRYING to get our attention one more time in the hope that we’ll listen to Him and save our country from ruin on every front. Repenting of our sins is the first step for the American church, which will require putting aside our pride and agreeing with God about how He wants us to live. Are American Christians really willing to walk closely with our Savior, living our lives as though we truly believe that Jesus is walking beside us and our lives are being lived with an audience of One? Our desire to walk in step with the ungodly world must end; we must lead the way to transforming our culture with godly standards or we will see it collapse from within. As long as there is a remnant of Christians still seeking to live by God’s Word, there is still time for America to return to the foundation upon which the United States was built.

Our country’s worst problems are beyond politics; they are moral and spiritual ones and the sooner God’s people recognize this, the greater the opportunity for real change. We pray that God will have mercy upon us one more time and restore our country to its place of moral leadership in the world. It’s not too late!