Pastoral Ponderings| Pastoral Ponderings | [printer version] |
| There seems to be much doom and gloom among the faithful--and with good reason it would appear. Atheists are climbing the bestseller lists attacking God. A major news magazine recently put on its cover, “The Decline and Fall of Christian America.” Even the president of the United States acknowledged that America is “not a Christian nation.” Speaking of the president, some analysts point out that he is the most pro-abortion president in our nation's history and did we mention that he's tripled, no quadrupled, America's debt--all the while steamrolling us deeper into socialism, and we know how Godless that is. But there was another time in history, at a place called Golgotha, when it appeared that the forces of darkness had won the day. God's people hid behind locked doors. Surely the end was at hand. Of course, we know now it was not the end, but rather the beginning.  The point is, they saw nothing but doom and gloom, but God was at work bringing about His glory. Is it possible that God is at work once again? Of course. Yes, the atheists seem to be gaining attention and our nation is going post-Christian, but God is at work, even though being skeptical about God, even anti-God, is more acceptable in our society. How could this be good? By providing people with a real choice. For a long time, Christianity has been “mainstream” in our nation's culture. To express doubt about God, Jesus or the Bible would put a person outside the “mainstream” in the social, political and business worlds. Better to go through | the motions and stay in the game than risk being ostracized. As a result, our churches and Christian culture were nurtured by those with marginal interest and even less commitment. Now the ranks are thinning and studies prove this out. From 1990 to 2008 Americans identifying themselves as Christian dropped 10%. But what if this 10% was almost entirely the “marginal-if-at-all-Christians?” What if the remaining Christians can better come together and be a unified group? But even then, is that necessarily a good thing? As Christians, we envision success as a country filled with authentic and committed Christians who are unified in their doctrines, beliefs and values. But is that really possible? In heaven certainly, but right now we are redeemed people, but we still wrestle with--and fall to--the temptation of sin. Do we really believe that, if Christians were the overwhelming majority, that we would faithfully handle that power? Could it be that the variety of denominations and doctrines which freely exist with American Christianity provide a healthy competition which informally creates a checks and balances? And isn't it interesting that, while our government is promoting abortion, our population is growing more pro-life. A Gallup Poll found that, for the first time, a majority of Americans identify themselves as pro-life. What if God is at work overturning Roe v. Wade, but it's not through the courts, but across the kitchen table? And what about the economy? It's been reported that the bad times have people rethinking their priorities. It seems that people are rediscovering the value of relationships over the accumulation of things and that debt is not so great. Valuing people and avoiding debt. And these are bad times because… Of course, there are those who say the worst is yet to come and maybe it is. But there have always been those who are shouting that the sky is falling. The point is, even if there are difficult days ahead, it doesn't mean that God has forsaken America. The story of Joseph is one of disaster, doom and gloom; but then we learn that what was intended for evil, God used for good. He could do it again. Is He doing it now? |