Dystopia 101

                I had been wracking my brain for a few weeks trying to come up with an analogy for the message that I wanted to convey in this post. I was scouring through historical figures....and governments....and even celebrities....but nothing was coming to mind....and then something did come to mind.
                I had actually known a couple of men who this happened to. So....I won't give this fictitious person a name. He's a student at a very reputable college....freshman....first semester. He is on a full academic scholarship....which without some kind of scholarship he would not be here....for his parents were not able to pay for his college.
                Obviously he did very well in high school. His studies just seemed to come easy to him....and that's an understatement....so he was wasn't expecting any difficulty in his first year.
                There were unforeseen changes though. It was the first time out of the house for him....and the sudden freedom to do what he wanted proved too much to control. Plus he started drinking for the first time in his life. Plus....he had his first girlfriend. Plus he entered Greek life....a fraternity....Gamma Omicron Pi....GOP. (right wing politics....there is no such fraternity) He wasn't only experiencing a different level of schooling....he was experiencing a different world....and different gods.
                 He was taking five classes....all 101s....how difficult could it be? His problems began when he just didn't plan ahead at all. It wasn't like high school. The first half of the semester....in all the classes....required little more than reading the required chapters....and taking the quizzes. The second half of the semester doubled the load. So when he found that he was barely passing in three classes....and not doing too much better in the other two....he began to get concerned. The fact that he had to maintain a solid B in all the classes to keep his scholarship didn't even register with him yet. But on the bright side....he was having a great time at the Wooden Keg.....the most popular college bar....and even met a girl!
                So the midterms....(that word sure fits well)....were over and he was called in to his academic advisor....I will give him a name....Dr. Billy Graham....who frowned the entire thirty minute meeting. He was told that he absolutely needed to pull a couple of 'B's out of this mess....and then get the 'A's in the second semester....to keep his scholarship.
                So he fretted for a few days....and crammed...but there were some problems with his girlfriend....his world was coming to an end....or so he thought....or so they all think. He wound up with three 'D's and two 'C's. Things were looking bad....and he was adequately warned.....but then....things were getting better with his girlfriend....much better.....if you know what I mean....and of course that's the most important thing in becoming a man.
                He needed five 'A's in the second semester....and even here he would have to apply for a special dispensation....seeing that he would have proved that he overcame the problems that students often have in the beginning of their matriculation.....but when he finally put his pants back on....he found that he would be lucky to pull all 'C's.
                Yeah....I knew two guys like this....one real smart....and the other a great athlete. Neither ever graduated. So what's my point in all this?
                This fictitious student....is you and I. The liberal and the conservative....the Rhodes Scholar and the All-America....the atheist and the evangelical....It doesn't matter....we all screwed up! 
                We've got one more test coming up....the final....and we are praying to God that we might ace it....and God may indeed give us some final strength as He did for Samson....but the scholarship is already gone....the country is gone. All that this student could hope for was that he passed the classes to at least get some college credits for the courses....and all that we can hope for right now is that God will be with us as we go through what is surely tribulation ahead that we brought upon ourselves.
                Commenting on the conservative side of this....the student's high school era was like the 1980s to us....as we were doing well....it came so easy....I can attest to this from personal experience....praising God was fun....Reagan was in charge....the Berlin Wall was coming down....peace was at hand.
                We just let our guard down. I earlier posted these comments that Billy Graham wrote in his book....Storm Warning...."I look back on my many years as an evangelist and wonder, Have I made the Christian faith look too easy......in my eagerness to tell the world about the greatest gift that comes from God....I ask myself if I have comprehended the price He paid for our freedom....Have I adequately explained the price we must pay in humbling ourselves, turning our backs on pride, and sacrificing our earthly desires out of obedience to the Lord?" That book contained this ominous  warning....the last five words of which came from the prophet Amos....to Israel....."[This] storm warning carries a booming jolt of truth--Trouble Ahead; Prepare to Meet Thy God." 
                 We in evangelicalism have been taken in. Instead of humbling ourselves when the walls started to crumble....prostrating ourselves in repentance for dallying with the world....we followed Hophni and Phinehas....and went into battle....dragging along our ark....'God bless America'....fully confident that God would give us the victory.
                We built...."We are one glorious nation under God"....and we bragged...."And the best is yet to come"....but God tore it right down...."Though Edom says, 'We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins', this is what the LORD of armies says: 'They may build, but I will tear down..." (Malachi 1:4)
                 Right now we are in servitude to the politicians and the expert commentators who tell us every two years that this is the most important election ever! Our youth are undergoing hazing by way of conservative youth organizations. We in evangelicalism have been hardened....living only on the red meat that they throw to us....but God makes the plans....we don't! May He if it be in His will....demonstrate once again His mercies upon a wayward people....and humble our hearts....that we might trust only in Him....forsaking these weapons of war that we have been using....hate and anger and lying and threats and deceptions....all in the name of God of course....and put on that which was designed for us to "stand firm against the schemes of the devil"....the armor of God.