Answers

By   •   June 28, 2010   •   Topics:

Q:

My friend keeps sending me e-mails about what's happening in the world, and some of them are really scary. We seem to be headed downhill faster and faster -- economically, socially, morally, you name it. I don't see much of anything good happening in our country, do you?


A:

Yes, we live in unsettled and uncertain times, and only God knows what the future holds for us (for our future is in His hands). If all we had to go on were the daily headlines (or your friend’s e-mails), we’d be right to be alarmed.

But this weekend I hope you’ll also take time to look on the other side, and pause to thank God for all the good things we still enjoy as a nation. Tomorrow we will be celebrating July 4th, commemorating our birth as a nation. Think of the freedoms we still enjoy, and the opportunities and resources God has given us. Why not let this holiday be a time of thanksgiving for this nation, and for God’s blessings to us?

After all, in spite of our problems (and they are many), our nation is still the greatest nation on earth, and God has not completely withdrawn His blessings from us. The Bible’s words concerning ancient Israel could be applied to us as well: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

But I hope you’ll also make this holiday a time of intercession, asking God to intervene and bring us back to Himself. Many of the dangers we face are self-inflicted, because we’ve left God and His will out of our lives. This is why our greatest need as a nation is repentance and spiritual renewal. May God bring us back to Himself — beginning today.