SCRIPTURE
When I Heard These Things, I Sat Down and Wept. for Some Days I Mourned and Fasted and Prayed Before The God Of Heaven. then I Said:
“Lord, the God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.” Nehemiah 1:4-7
SPOTLIGHT
What is going wrong in our country? There have been so many mass murders. I often trace all of this carnage beginning with the Columbine High School shooting of 15 people in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999. At this writing, since then, there have been over 230 school shootings, and 119 mass shootings in other places such as Las Vegas.
WHOSE FAULT IS IT? Who is to blame? Many opinions are given. Is it those who chose to plan and carry out the deadly schemes? What about the parents of the assailants? Should the media be held responsible? Think about the violence and suggestive ideas communicated in movies, music, magazines, books, TV, radio, video games and the Internet. What blame does Hollywood bear? Can the teachers be blamed? How about the proprietors who sell guns? We cannot overlook the politicians who make the laws of the land. And don’t forget the neighbors and people who observed unusual happenings, but didn’t want to get involved. Someone suggested to me that the fault was with our constitutional fathers who gave us free speech.
The list of people who can be held accountable for what is going wrong in this country is very long. Certainly a degree of blame can be placed at the feet of many of those previously mentioned. The question as to, WHOSE FAULT IS IT, will lead us to a very complex and complicated answer. Without a doubt, parents should be involved in the lives of their children. But don’t forget, laws permit children to make serious life choices while living at home. In some states, the laws allow pregnant teenage girls to get abortions, without informing their parents.
Here are 2 very clear facts. The first you will agree with, but the second you may dismiss:
#1. We are now living in a culture of violence which does not seem to be going away.
#2. We are all responsible. The culture of violence may not be our fault, but we who call ourselves Christians, must become accountable to do something. To some degree, all of us must take responsibility. This problem is an epidemic happening throughout our nation. It is not just in one area. Just when you hear someone say, “That would never take place in my area,” a few years later it does.
Before you write off fact #2, let me explain the Biblical truth that calls all Christians to take responsibility for the culture of violence that has been created. As you read chapter 1 in the book of Nehemiah, you discover a very important truth that needs to be taught to believers. Nehemiah heard about the terrible things that were going on in his home country. He was so moved by the bad news that for days he wept, mourned, fasted and prayed. Nehemiah did not begin his prayer by asking God to intervene. Instead, he assumed responsibility for what was going on. He prayed, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house have committed against you…” He did not blame the government, certain groups of Israelites, or bad people. Make a distinction between whose fault it is and who is responsible? Nehemiah’s belief was that he, along with other believers, had to assume some responsibility for the wickedness because God’s commands, and laws had been disobeyed.
This same truth is taught in 2 Chronicles 7:14. This well-known verse instructs Christians on what to do when there is a moral decline and spiritual apathy in the nation. God did not identify the problem as, “us versus them.” [see Deut. 21:5-9]. It was a, “We the people” problem. Perhaps we have not prayed enough, or let our light shine brightly in a dark world. Maybe we are prosperity driven, or even become hypocritical by saying one thing and doing another. The possibility exists that we may lack compassion because we already have a one -way ticket to heaven.
We, the Christian Church, who identify ourselves as believers, must assume responsibility. We must be so moved that we weep, mourn, and fast, and pray, as Nehemiah did. Our cry must be for revival.
SOMETHING TO DO
#1. Confess to God that we as believers, have not brought glory and honor to His name.
#2. Pray for the leaders of your country, city, and community.
#3. Decide to pray and reach out to an unbelieving friend.
#4. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any ways you are inconsistent in being a Christian.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I confess that we who are believers, including myself, and my family, have committed sins against You, by not always living in a way that brings glory and honor to Your name. Forgive us Lord God. I am deeply troubled in my heart because of the culture of violence that plagues our country. Bring revival to all believers. Send a spiritual awakening to our nation. Show us what to do to help turn our nation’s culture of violence, into a culture of Godly purity. AMEN.