Break our hearts, O God, break our hearts,
Break our hearts, O God, break our hearts.
For the sin in our lives, break our hearts.
For the sin in our land, break our hearts.
We cry out, need your hand;
Come back to our land.
We confess: we've lived in sin.
Show your power once again.
(-Billy James Foote)
Are you paying attention to the news these days? Do you follow current events at all? Or do you just go on about your life blissfully unaware of what's going on outside your little circle of family and friends? The last scenario is unfortunately true for far too many people, I'm afraid. But unless you have been living under a rock, you are aware there’s a war going on in a faraway place called Ukraine.
I confess that it's more and more difficult for me to watch newscasts and read news reports these days. I am more and more disillusioned and disgusted by what's going on in my country and around the world. But is it not the wise thing to be aware of what's going on around us? Else we might wake up one morning and find ourselves living in quite a different society than we thought.
Much like the frog in the frying pan. Or maybe it's a kettle. In any event, you've probably heard that story. The boiling frog story is a story that describes a frog being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. I have no idea if that is accurate biologically, but it is perhaps a good metaphor for many in our society who are clueless as to what's going on, and will not realize how much our society has changed until it is too late.
It has never been my intent for this blog to be political. But I think these are issues which transcend politics. The world has become very small these days, and what affects them there can also have an effect on us here.
We're living in very troublesome times indeed. History would be a great teacher for us, if we were willing to pay attention. But alas, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (George Santayana).
These days we aren't very interested in history, are we? We're more concerned with celebrity sightings and sports scores. But if we were to look to history, we might learn a thing or two. Certainly those who lived in Germany under Hitler....or in Cuba under Castro......or in the former Soviet Union (that one hits a little close to home, doesn’t it?).....might be able to teach us a thing or two. But unfortunately no one seems willing to listen. To learn from the past. "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." (Aldous Huxley)
Biblical history would teach us even more, if only we as a society were willing to learn.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." (Proverbs 9:10 ESV)
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes." (Proverbs 12:15a ESV)
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." (Psalm 33:12a ESV
We've come a long way from the nation our forefathers founded, a nation built on a foundation of God's word, on religious liberty, with a Constitution and Bill of Rights that protected our individual liberties. Men and women gave their lives to protect these liberties, liberties most Americans seem to assume will be ours forever, but which are little by little being eroded away.
My heart breaks for my country and for our world. I am saddened and frustrated and angered by the selfishness I see in our political system. I am sickened by the greed and dishonesty I see in government and in society. I am heartbroken at what this country might be, if it survives, for my sons and my grandsons. And I am heartbroken and concerned for the people of Ukraine. And for how what is happening there might affect us here.
But as I think about all that is going on in the world, I really shouldn't be surprised, should I? After all, Scripture clearly says that "in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV).
Now, as it has always been, the hope for our country.....for our world....is not politicians or governments. The hope of the world is Jesus. So as I pray for our nation, for those in positions of authority, I pray that we might all turn our hearts more fully toward Him. I pray for the people of Ukraine. I pray that those in authority would make wise decisions. I pray for our own servicemen and women.
It has never been my intent for this blog to be political. But I think these are issues which transcend politics. The world has become very small these days, and what affects them there can also have an effect on us here.
We're living in very troublesome times indeed. History would be a great teacher for us, if we were willing to pay attention. But alas, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (George Santayana).
These days we aren't very interested in history, are we? We're more concerned with celebrity sightings and sports scores. But if we were to look to history, we might learn a thing or two. Certainly those who lived in Germany under Hitler....or in Cuba under Castro......or in the former Soviet Union (that one hits a little close to home, doesn’t it?).....might be able to teach us a thing or two. But unfortunately no one seems willing to listen. To learn from the past. "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." (Aldous Huxley)
Biblical history would teach us even more, if only we as a society were willing to learn.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." (Proverbs 9:10 ESV)
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes." (Proverbs 12:15a ESV)
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." (Psalm 33:12a ESV
We've come a long way from the nation our forefathers founded, a nation built on a foundation of God's word, on religious liberty, with a Constitution and Bill of Rights that protected our individual liberties. Men and women gave their lives to protect these liberties, liberties most Americans seem to assume will be ours forever, but which are little by little being eroded away.
My heart breaks for my country and for our world. I am saddened and frustrated and angered by the selfishness I see in our political system. I am sickened by the greed and dishonesty I see in government and in society. I am heartbroken at what this country might be, if it survives, for my sons and my grandsons. And I am heartbroken and concerned for the people of Ukraine. And for how what is happening there might affect us here.
But as I think about all that is going on in the world, I really shouldn't be surprised, should I? After all, Scripture clearly says that "in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV).
Now, as it has always been, the hope for our country.....for our world....is not politicians or governments. The hope of the world is Jesus. So as I pray for our nation, for those in positions of authority, I pray that we might all turn our hearts more fully toward Him. I pray for the people of Ukraine. I pray that those in authority would make wise decisions. I pray for our own servicemen and women.
And I pray that I might see the world as Jesus sees it. I pray that I might have a heart to love and serve others as He did. I pray that I might love Him more. Trust Him more. Be all that He desires me to be. And that, in being all He desires me to be, I might somehow make a difference.
As I pray all that, I pray as Daniel did....."How long?" (Daniel 12:6 ESV).
As I pray all that, I pray as Daniel did....."How long?" (Daniel 12:6 ESV).
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song,
Christ returneth! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Amen.
Ere we shout the glad song,
Christ returneth! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Amen.
(- H. L. Turner)
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