July 5, 2022 – Click here to listen
As was my custom I walked outside with my little dog Cooper very early one morning and sat on my front steps as he explored my front yard and sniffed every blade of grass and leaf in the process. It was a typical North Florida morning, warm and humid and it kind of reminded me of walking into a sauna. An owl let out an eerie scream in the distance and right on schedule, I heard the train blasting its way through the Aucilla crossing. I looked up to the sky and saw the black night contrasted by lovely sparkling bright shiny stars.
For some reason sitting there and looking up into the heavens made me think of the struggle that humanity finds itself; we are totally surrounded by blackness but try as it might, the blackness cannot contain the shining light. Evil and the blackness of injustice permeate our world and society at large, but if we look around, we will find our rays of light, blessings of God brightly shining through, and therein we can find our hope.
I often get discouraged when I see the blackness of society, especially in this vitriol political season. The corruption, dishonesty, injustice, and outright lies coming from the highest levels of leadership and our media make me sick to my stomach.
I look to Ukraine and other war-torn countries I wonder if it could happen here. We’ve had one civil war and it is not inconceivable that we would have another. Our inclination is to avoid a conflict of that magnitude at all costs, but totally different belief systems may preclude it, and friendship between warring factions when strong convictions are present may prove impossible.
Someone, (Golda Meir I think), said that “We cannot shake hands with a clenched fist”. So, do we as Christians need to unclench our fists and shake hands with our enemies? My answer may surprise you, but the answer is NO; not when it comes to abandoning our belief systems. If you will study your Bible, James proclaimed, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
Cosmologists tell us that stars cannot become blackness without collapsing into a black hole that swallows them in their entirety or they burn out and die. To willfully accept the immorality being promoted as the new normal in our society is exhibiting hatred toward God and is analogous to collapsing into a black hole or burning out and dying.
Abortion is wrong; homosexuality is wrong. You can put lipstick on a pig and spray it down with the finest perfume, but it’s still a pig. Society and the majority do get it wrong; God said those things are wrong in His Holy Word the Bible and He gets it right every time and His laws are the same today as they will be a thousand years from now. Mankind has been around for eons and historical records going back to the beginning of time tell us that marriage has always been between a man and a woman right up until now with this particular society at this particular time where in our society’s worldly immoral wisdom we have changed that law.
It isn’t right no matter how many in this society condone it and just want to get along with everyone. Since our society condoned abortion over 63 million babies (some say more) have been murdered. That isn’t right either and this nation will be held accountable for their deaths.
What’s next? I shudder to think . . .
Stars are collapsing all around us; too many Christians have grown weary of the fight and have relaxed their clenched fists and succumbed to the blackness. Some are discouraged and view it as too big of a problem. Famous coach John Wooden once said, “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” We can vote and we can pray, we can contribute, we can work, we can march, and if necessary, we can fight.
I say continue to shine brightly just like the stars in the black night. Fight on until the Lord returns or the situation changes. In heaven, we will not need lights, because God will radiate all of the light we need and the blackness will run from it and be no more. I have news for you; we can tap into that light before we meet Him in glory and it begins on our knees in prayer. Stay strong to the end and be victorious!
Rev. 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.