Anyone with a modicum of understanding of the God of Scripture knows God delivered us from judgment on November 8. He answered the prayers of multiple thousands of Christians and other God- fearing Americans. Our national sins of abortion and flagrant sexual immorality alone – not to even mention our other national sins – our sins stink to the highest heaven just as Sodom’s sins sent their stench to God’s nostrils (Genesis 18-19).
Yes, God had mercy on us
this time by not giving us what we deserve.
At this point we ought to
be reminded of St. Paul’s comment to the church at Rome: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his
kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is
intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans
2:4)
Christians
and other God-fearing Americans ought to take serious and measured heed of what
the apostle wrote.
The
Church has enough to repent of to keep us on our knees for the next four years.
And I IMPLORE US to not sit back now and think our work is done until next
time. Such an attitude would be very unwise and very costly. God is not One to be mocked.
Perhaps
that is one reason the Holy Spirit made it easy for us to find model prayers of
repentance. I call it the DEN prayer
models: Daniel,Ezra,Nehemiah. Look at chapter 9 in each of the three Biblical
books and you will find model prayers in which every pastor, deacon, priest,
bishop, rabbi, and Sunday School teacher/catechist could lead their
congregations. And the DEN prayer models also can serve as templates for
individual prayers as well.
You and
I must not fail to recognize and openly acknowledge the gift of grace (Grace: God
giving us what we do not deserve. Note the difference in the definition of
Mercy I listed at the beginning) – we must not fail to recognize and openly
acknowledge the gift of grace God extended to us on November 8. We must not be
like the ten lepers healed by Jesus – of whom only the one returned to give Him
thanks. (Luke 17:11-19)
Christian,
and you who fear the God of the Bible, God still calls us to national
repentance. We kill 3500 babies in the womb each DAY in American abortion
centers. We have elevated sexual perversions to the law of the land. We have
turned our backs on the truly needy among us (I use the phrase “truly needy” on
purpose). We are carelessly and cavalierly permitting our children and
grandchildren to be taught God is merely an ancient myth useful only within the
four walls of a church or synagogue. We have enthroned the ‘dollar’ to the
place of worship and shoved the Creator to the periphery of our day to day
lives. And those are only the beginning of our sins for which God will
judge us if we do not repent.
What the prophet wrote in
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 still holds true, and may God help us to never lose sight
of that promise – AND that implied warning: If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,
or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My
people, and My people who are
called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from
their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and
will heal their land.”
God has
done His part. He has granted us His mercy. Now we must do our part.
Christian, and those of you who fear God – how
then will we live?
What a somber and sober choice lay now before us.
2 comments:
Since 2007 I have prayed that God deliver our country from the hands of Satan. Pope St. John Paul II wrote of institutional sin, which we can best describe as the "rigged system" that stifles virtue and tyrannizes the family.
Now that we have a leader who can help us right the multitude of wrongs against all of us, we must not cease praying, and we must also continue to strive for holiness along with living the charges Jesus laid on us in the Gospel. That means, in particular, giving more of ourselves to fulfill our vocation in life and looking for ways to set a good example to those around us. The first swamp to be drained is in our hearts. From there, using the talents God has given us, we answer the call of our secular leader, who appears to have submitted himself to Christ in the process of running for president. Pray for him every day, too. We are already seeing good fruits of his election - no TPP, Mexico and Canada being willing to renegotiate NAFTA - both affecting the long term jobs outlook and the ability of parents to provide for their families.
The parable of the talents comes to mind here. With the right disposition and leadership we can multiply the gifts God has given us so that we may return that multiplication to Him, bringing with us all those whose lives we have affected for the better. This is a never-ending task until we draw our last breath. Part of the journey is to grow in our faith knowledge continually and to actively uncover and contend with the sin in our society.
Thank you, Barb . . . especially for your comment about our own 'swamps' that need to be cleaned out. Very well said.
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