America has just come through the first stage of what will likely become an incredible struggle of change over the next four years. One side is basking in new found hope and the other side is wrapping itself in anger. And right in the middle is the bride of Christ… what about her? As I pondered that question I was once again taken back to the history lessons that Israel has laid out for us and a product “jingle” from my past.
I think its fair to say that America is in a similar place to where Israel found itself after Cyrus defeated Babylon. The walls had come down but there was no immediate deliverance for Israel. So what did Israel do… they lapsed back into the sin of doubting God! They wanted instant relief; the deliverer had come but there they were in the same place. And that is the same place the bride of Christ finds herself here at the dawning of 2017.
When I was a kid and TV was just coming on the scene (yeah I know) there was a commercial that offered instant relief…
There are many who believe that the change that is coming to America is “the” answer to our economic and social ills. Just like Israel thought the “plop” of Cyrus’ victory meant the “plop” of God’s deliverance of Israel… along with the “fizz” of instant relief. But when the “instant relief” didn’t come, their lack of faith in God just turned to deeper doubts… “well that didn’t work!”
As the bride of Christ, we cannot afford to let ourselves be lured into looking at the actions of God (yes He does control the heart of the king) as the immediate answer to our needs. We cannot let ourselves be tempted into letting doubt enter into the equation and begin blaming God for America’s ills.. ills that are the result of a sinning society.
Yes, we may have had an “Alka Seltzer” election in the eyes of some. Yes there may be a positive change in direction for the economy. But we cannot afford to allow ourselves to believe in the “plop plop fizz fizz” of the temporary medicine the just covers the symptoms. The real disease of man’s sin is still there and will come out from under the temporary relief of the medicine. It is up to the bride of Christ to take up the battle against the disease and let God deal with the medicine and the dosage. We need to take advantage of God’s actions and be led by His Spirit.
And just as a bonus this morning, let me share a picture that has been rolling around in my spirit for the past few weeks… a picture of Nimrod’s Tower.
Consider for just a moment the possibility that this election was about something much larger than the U.S. economy. Just suppose that God is giving America another chance to keep from repeating the sin of Nimrod. Our leaders have for a very long time been attempting to pull America into a New World Order…let me translate… Globalism. And, just perhaps, God has stepped in to give America a chance to avoid being involved with that New World Order, which is destined to fall just as Nimrod’s tower of Babel came crashing down.
Yes, I truly believe God is giving America a chance in response to the prayers of His faithful sons and daughters. But what are we going to do with that chance? I suggest the first step is not to fall for the “Alka Seltzer” that is temporarily relieving the pain, but to fall on our knees and pray for a healing from the disease. Plop Plop Fizz Fizz may make us feel good for awhile, but there will soon come a time when it wears off and the disease will once again become evident… unless we take advantage of the “warning” and take up the challenge of interceding for America and the lost who inhabit her borders.
His name is Speedy and he comes on the scene just that fast… but don’t count on him staying around very long!