High school students across Illinois joined for 2008 Discipleship Camp. They were asked to submit questions and a panel would try to answer them. We ran out of time, and I agreed to carry on the conversation through my blog. Thus, Camp Question post will show up from time to time.
Why does it seem like God has left us in the worst of times?
I agree today's world seems like the "worst of times." However, I wasn't alive during the major world wars, the crusades, or the Old Testament slaughterings.
I agree our moral decline continues to spiral downward.
I agree there are crazy natural disasters that seem pretty eerie of God trying to get our attention.
That said, I don't think "He has left us" anywhere. Yes, times are bad (like they have been throughout history), but God is still active in our lives.
I think of a recovering meth addict that experiences God's presence, I know of people struggling with depression that gives God credit for their ability to make it through the day, and I know of people who have been healed, have been given specific direction for their lives, and have been set free from being strongly offended by a dear friend.
God is not a clock-maker that creates a piece of work, then sits back and allows it to do its work. God is active. God cares. God is very involved.
Although it sometimes seems God has left the building, his Word promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and that He is ever-present, and that He is faithful.
Please feel free to join the discussion...
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Camp Question #1
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2 comments:
Why does it seem like God has left us in the worst of times?
Although it may in fact seem like the worst of times, the Lord hasn’t left us. His Word reassures us that He is always with us and that He has sent His Spirit to help us. So why are we in the condition we’re in? Well it’s sin and the lack of committed believers doing what we’re commanded to do. Yet, with all that said, we know the end of the story. Christ is coming back! Order will be restored! Wickedness will be dealt with. Paradise will be gained by all those that call upon His name and obey His commands. I encourage those that think that the world is “going to hell in a hand basket” to read the Scriptures more closely. We win! Pow!
Cornell Jordan
A few thoughts on the question and the posted responses:
The irony of feelings is that they are sometimes only that. Feeling like God has abandoned us is common to everyone. I see two reasons why this feeling can arise. First, is that we don't see the big picture. The Hebrews didn't understand their slavery because they couldn't see that deliverance was on its way. Secondly, it is a lie from Satan. Just like Job's friends, Satan is at work telling us to curse God and die. We can look to the example of Satan and persevere. We can look to the joy that is set before us. We can hope in the promise of the future.
In response to "our moral spiral downward," I want to assert my feeling that today, we are no more or less depraved than any other society at any time throughout history. Surely this is debatable, but that's my opinion.
-wk
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