As consternation rises in the hearts of Christians who are witnessing the societies and nations in which they live seemingly rush toward economic, social, and moral collapse, it is well to remember what it is that we are looking at. Our sight, contoured by our memories, aided by hard drives, the Internet, printouts, and books is limited to the past and to the passing present moment. We cannot see with certainty where we are headed, and so should be less motivated by the desire to prevent a future we fear, than compelled by the need to call evil for what it is today.

Because we can see the past far better than we can imagine the future, it behooves us to master the lessons from the past and refrain from airbrushing or cancelling the past to advance theories or agendas. Blood-red catastrophes have fallen upon us in modern times, including among many too numerous to list, the Great War, World War II, multiple genocides, pandemics, and millions of aborted children.

But there is nothing new under the sun, and the sins committed today in the halls of power and commerce, as well as in the homes of the rich and poor alike, are of no new species and remain every bit as deadly to the soul as the first bite of the apple.

Declarations of independence notwithstanding, our freedom is only ever a gift from God when it is a true spiritual liberation so we may live in holiness by the grace of God. Otherwise, our freedoms, if taken to mean we may do as we please, remain mere license to embrace chains of slavery all the while insisting on the right to not be told that they are, in fact, chains. Don’t forget the words of Jesus that sin is followed closely by slavery to sin.

“Stand still and see the salvation of God” is a timeless reminder to “Let not your hearts be troubled.” But that’s only possible if we also hear Jesus say, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” But what is such faith?

When the disciples awakened him from sleep in the stern of the storm-tossed boat that was filling with water, Jesus questioned whether they had any faith at all. Let his puzzlement and rebuke sink in: Who of us would not have wakened him in panic and terror? What level of faith does he expect? How can one calmly watch the ship sink … or what may be the death of a civilization or a nation?

Heaven features the worship of God, communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If worship is optional, so is heaven. We get what we desire, we reap what we sow. What we truly desire, we long for and seek: “My soul thirsts for thee as in a dry and weary land where no water is.”

The land is parched, society bankrupt, and love is growing cold; it is time to awaken Christ.

— James M. Kushiner