REFLECTION ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD

Church family,

Each day I take time to read a variety of articles, news, and books. I am increasingly aware of the problem with our world. The problem is spelled out pretty clearly in the Bible. The problem is sin. In our lifetime, we have gone from a society who knew what that word meant to a society who has now never heard of the word.

Reading in the book of Psalms today, I was reminded of how sin works.

Psalm 36:1-4 (NLT) “Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good. They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil.

The root of evil is not a lack of education. The root of evil is not inequality or injustice. Evil will not be solved by technology or progress. Evil will not be defeated by manpower and weapons of war. The problem is deeper. Our hearts are bad. Sin speaks to us and we listen. It’s as simple as that. It’s not just an issue with those we see in the media – Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, or Tiger Woods. It’s the issue with all of mankind.

Read those verses again with yourself in mind. If we are honest, we have seen the struggle in our own hearts with sin all too often as well

But the Psalm does not end there! In Psalm 36:5-9 (NLT) it says, “Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”

The psalmist David shifts to the character of God’s heart. The contrast is clear. “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.” See the contrast between the evil of man’s heart and the life of God’s?

The Psalm concludes with an expression of confidence those who walk in the light of God can have – 10-12 (NLT) “Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts. Don’t let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around. Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again.” Thankfully, the grace of God has been extended to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the only hope for the world we live in.

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian