Pastor’s Corner: “Wake up Call”
Proverbs 14:34 (NKJV) – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
I read about an interesting new alarm clock called the Wake n’ Bacon, which makes it possible to wake up to smell of bacon every morning. Before you go to bed, you simply place a piece of frozen bacon inside this special clock. Then, ten minutes before you wake up, the bacon starts cooking so you will awake to that amazing smell. I think it is time for our nation to wake up and smell the bacon, so to speak (sorry for the bad pun).
It’s Wake-Up Time for America: Why do I say this? The birthing pains are upon us. Can you feel the contractions? Can you feel the pain? One reason God allows adversity in our lives is to get our attention. He’s acutely aware of when we’re too preoccupied with ourselves and our interests. God knows when it’s time to plan an interruption so we will take notice.
The question immediately arises: Isn’t there another way to capture our attention? Theoretically, the answer is yes. There are other means besides adversity. But it usually takes a jolt of some kind to bring us around. In his book The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis put it this way: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”
When things go our way, it is sometimes difficult to turn our thoughts to God. If all is well, we may quickly drift into a state of self-reliance and smugness. Our prayers can become lifeless, and the Word of God may start to sound unappealing to our complacent ears. To make matters worse, we can begin to confuse our sense of well-being with spirituality. When nothing is wrong, we falsely assume that everything is right. It is next to impossible for an unbeliever with no pressing problems to see the need for a Savior. That person might figure, When everything is fine, why “mess it up” with God? But come back to the same man or woman after adversity has struck, and you will find a completely different attitude.
In some ways, our nation seems to be unraveling before our very eyes. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” If we continue to turn from righteousness, if we continue to turn from God as a nation, we will face the consequences. If we abandon God, if we forget God, there will be consequences to pay.
Romans 13:11-12 (NLT) – 11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. We have two options before us as a nation—judgment or revival. Jesus has not called us to isolate but to infiltrate. Our job is to permeate and saturate—not evade but invade! A.W. Tozer said, “The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God—not an echo of what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice.” We must be salt and light! Salt stimulates thirst and light exposes things. The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.
Psalm 80:18-19 (NIV) – Revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. Lord, please make us a light to the nations and an example of the Savior’s love and grace. May the lost come to understand the spiritual freedom from sin that You have so graciously provided for us. We give praise for all You are doing and will do. Thank You for reviving the church throughout the world and for bringing spiritual awakening to unbelievers. To You be all honor, glory, and worship now and forevermore. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton