Trying to Make Sense
I want to follow-up on my last column by analyzing some of the dynamics of how we have gotten to the place that we are today. We are in such a divided place because we have no common starting point. I submitted that God is that common point. Because we have removed Him from nearly all the social institutions of life, we have become divided.
Let's consider some of the social institutions that are a part of the sphere of humanity. The oldest history that we have is contained in the Bible, so that is where I will go. Let's start with the family. God created man and then made woman to be a helpmate or a wife in that creative process. He created this specific relationship at the very beginning. We read how God was present within that relationship. He created it, and it appears that He spent time with them in a relationship. I submit that the marriage relationship was designed to have God's presence as an intricate part. When they rebelled and pulled away from God, complications entered into that relationship. The unifier was now not where He was needed in that relationship. Let's leave that social sphere for a moment and go to another.
Being I'm using the Bible as an authentic history book, let's talk about "history." As a teenage boy sitting in a high school history class and hearing that because such and such did this and was countered by another such and this move, this resulted in this historic outcome. I would ask myself, “but what about God?” Doesn’t He have something to do with this? Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was one of the greatest kings to ever have reigned. Daniel 4 tells a story of how he was shown that God is in ultimate control in his life and throughout history. Take a little time and read this story.
Think about "science." It may be impossible for some of you to put God and science together. If you believe in God and that He is the creator, it is only logical to understand that real science would also be consistent with and under God's control. Colossians 1:16, 17 says that He created all things, and He holds them all together. If this is true, but you decide to remove God, you get a flawed view of real science and mere speculation. Yet, it is what has happened in our world.
The Church, too, has its issues. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, "I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It makes sense that if Satan is in opposition to God, He is trying to destroy or make the Church powerless. That happens again as you take “God” out of it. How can you do that with the Church? One of the significant ways is to change who God is and what He says to us. That redefines who God is and changes His Word and the relevance of it.
This is just a sampling of social spheres that exist in our world today. In each of these and many more, God has been forced out. He has been replaced by the government. Take some time and think about how and to what extent this has happened. God designed government to be one of those social entities but not to take God's place and be the driving force. All of the social structures are designed to work best when God is at the controls. But sadly, God has been removed or pushed to the side, and the state has taken over. It cannot fill the place God was designed to have. Ultimately it will end in disaster. That is where we seem to be headed. There is, however, a solution. II Chronicles 7:14 says, “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.” We must turn to God and give Him the place that He deserves, and in doing that, He will heal our nation. There is hope, and that hope is in God.
Pastor Lynn Rettig
Musselshell Community Bible Church
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