I know that you are probably tired of hearing about things like this....forty years ago....prayers were often offered in the church for Israel....but then....we also talked about the cults....and prophecy and the Second Coming....and the holiness of God....the majesty of Christ....and most of all the need for one to be born again. Apologetics....the defense of the faith....was in many of the books that we read....and local churches often had a revival or a weekend conference on any of the above. Those things are not the....talking points....of today....for we now talk mostly about family and freedom and patriotism and politics and blessings that God gives....and will continue to give us.
One might think....considering the extremely existential seriousness of the situation for Israel and the world....that churches would be praying without ceasing.....but that does not appear to be the case. Even in my own church there was no mention today of Israel in our worship service. There was back then....forty years ago and thereabouts....a great concern. There was a concern for the people....for their salvation. If the state of that nation was important to God....which it obviously is....one would think that it should be important to us....but today we are more into confident smiles than concern of judgment...."Praise God for this beautiful day!"....but the joy in the Lord....that we once had....has transitioned into....the joy that the Lord gives us....a subtle but distinct difference!
My wife and I attended a Southern Gospel concert last evening....for we like Southern Gospel music....and do this fairly often. The particular concert was in a church that I have known about for forty years....and had been in attendance there for various things over the years. Probably 90% of the people there were our age or older. We arrived early and I had the opportunity to look at these blessed....(two syllables)....people as they by design entered the only door to the sanctuary available to them. And I prayed for many of them....one family with a Down syndrome son....(I kept praying for them)....and others in wheelchairs....with a lifetime of worship in that church behind them....and I prayed for the family singing group....and the pastor and the elders.
Outside in the parking lot was my vehicle with this website URL bumper stickers on the back. I had about thirty minutes before the concert to think about the people....mostly older saints....and the message that I am always trying to get to anyone....that a maelstrom is just about upon us....and great sadness and grief along with it.
I closed my eyes a couple of times....purposely examining what I was doing....or attempting to do with these posts....in essence.....rock their worlds....with that which my life was once rocked not all that may years ago....the end of a pleasant and even idyllic American life....of two vehicles.....and vacations....and dreams and goals...retirements.....and the extended future of the families of children....their children.....and their children after that.
That life is America is a thing of the past....and it wasn't what we bragged it to be anyway. It took many decades....but in this modern life....we kept compiling idol after idol....inventing idols that were never available before....professional sports being them most obvious. I know many men....Christian men....whose entire life has essentially revolved around one particular sport....and maybe one particular team in that sport....and they have talked themselves into believing that it is blessing from God? Today you can gamble from your La-Z-Boy. We have literally hundreds of television channels with which to worship an idol. It is not the same America. Much of the technology today that we are so excited about....is killing us softly with its hum.
So I come to grips with what I have to do....what anyone would have to do.....knowing what they know....knowing what I know....what God's Word so very plainly tells those who have not cluttered the windshield of their lives with little rubber ducks given to them by those who admire their vehicle. It's certainly not what they want to hear....and it is not in line with an edifying evening of Southern Gospel....but it is what they have to hear....Jesus is near....and that this is no longer a drill....to at least give them a chance to weep at what we have become....pack up and leave Vanity Fair....and look around to see who we might be traveling with?
