Over the last few years we have witnessed a continual degradation of civil discourse in our country, so much so, I can’t remember seeing such during my lifetime. While it is true there have been demonstrations in the past, for the most part people were willing to listen to the other side. Although they didn’t agree with the other party’s stance, on the whole they didn’t scream in the other person’s face with such vitriolic rage to shut down the discourse and boast about causing physical harm to the person and/or their family – just because they hold a different viewpoint. Yet, here we are today. In the past, there were mostly organic demonstrations; today there are paid protestors, many for whom espouse violence and property damage. And let it be understood that this “degradation” is not limited to speech; it encompasses all aspects of our daily living.
Christians and Churches cry out to the Lord and ask, “What is the cause of this continual decay of our society? Aren’t we a Judeo-Christian nation anymore?” Many believers ask the Lord, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” – in a similar manner as the disciples did to Jesus as recorded in Mark 4:35-41,
“And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The song “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” is sung in Churches with great crescendo acknowledging that the Lord can still any tempest that besets us. Yet, the question “Why are we experiencing this storm?” remains. Additionally, we like to hold on to the coat tails of 2 Chronicles 7:14 as some mystical verse as if just stating the words will still the storm; for it states,
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Could the answer to these chaotic times simply be that we as a nation have lost our “spiritual” mooring in God and given ourselves over to our fleshly desires and imaginations of our hearts? In the above passage from the Book of Mark, Jesus asked His disciples, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” This question is most often overlooked when we read this passage. If we as children of God, and as well Churches, truly had a resilient and steadfast faith in the Lord we would realize that we are not to cower down in our church buildings; but, we are to share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying nation. We must learn to be bold in sharing Christ; yet, our boldness will only come forth when our own hearts are revived. Our prayer needs to be as that of the psalmist in Psalms 85:4-7,
“Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”
Likewise, our hearts should be set upon trusting in the Lord’s divine ways instead of our own.
Isaiah 57:13-15 states,
“When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
If we truly want the Lord to state “Peace, be still” in these trying times, we must not be fearful and we must have faith in the Lord. True peace will only come through living the words of Romans 1:16,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
