CRISES AND CALAMITIES

Our nation has suffered a torrent of crises that have left us drained and confused. We have had thousands of servicemen either returned in body bags or litters or as walking wounded. Terrorists have struck by seizing airliners and crashing into the World Trade Center twin towers and into the Pentagon, by bombs, by gunfire, by poison in letters. The worst damages have come from tropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts, and floods. A severe financial crisis has left millions homeless, or jobless, and without hope of regaining a comfortable life.

Our response has been to deal with the symptoms of each crisis. Volunteers have gone to storm wrecked communities and helped in meeting the immediate needs of those who survived, cleaning up the debris, helping to rebuild. Law enforcement officials have focused on ways to thwart terrorist plots. Government has created programs to help the wounded warriors and other programs to stimulate the economy.

No one has been heard in the media or otherwise addressing the nation to proclaim an overarching reason behind these multiplying crises. Jesus said, “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.”        (Mark 13:7-8 NKJV)

Thousands of years ago in a similar time of crises, the LORD said, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”   (Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV) We need a man of God who will stand up and declare that only God is powerful enough, only the sovereign God is able to bring these powerful forces upon us. We do not need a man who will say that God is sending these troubles upon us because He is angry about abortion rights, or gay marriages, or Obamacare. We need a man who will tell us to turn our eyes and hearts to God and beg for mercy and let God tell us why He is angry with us.

“O LORD, you have our attention now. Speak to our hearts. Show each of us what we should do, what sins we should forsake. We do not ask what other people ought to be doing or what other nations should be doing. Only You are great enough to have brought these calamities upon us. Only You are great enough to lead us to their solutions. Hear our prayer. Have mercy upon us.  Amen.”