Praying for Blessings

A few years as the city I live in went through a difficult time. A rash of gang killings and general crime, sent a fear into the hearts of the citizenry. A couple of major employers were either on the brink of bankruptcy or threatening to close plants, threatening thousands of jobs. Due to large budget deficites, cuts to programs loomed and services reduced. There were some scandals in the city offices as well and the city was very divided between black and white, liberal and conservative, middle class and poor. It was a very dark time for the city and it has not yet emerged from those times, but it is doing better.

At one of the bleakest moments the mayor asked for the residents to pray for the city. A number of prayer vigils and gatherings of religious leaders held. A group even went around to the various parts of the city to pray.

In many ways it is sad that we only acknowledge God in times of trouble. Where are the gatherings during the good times? Where are the neighborhood praise parades for the street being fixed? When does the mayor come out and direct people to thank God for what He has bestowed?

There is an ever asked question – “Why God allows bad things to happen?” Maybe – just maybe, because that is the only way He gets our attention.

After the horrific attack on the US of September 11, the red, white & blue came out in a flourish. Every other car sported sticker saying "God Bless America". However, America continues to refuse to bless God, to honor Him, to thank Him.

Now I am not advocating that the US was created to be a 'Christian' nation. I am not sure what that would even look like (though I would think heaven would be such a nation, one nation, under God as we bow before His Majesty).

What I am advocating here is that we believers need to recognize that God is more important than patriotism or ideology or philosophy. That our purpose for existence is to give God another conduit to show His glory, and how much more glorious is He, then when a sinner is saved through His blood! Not when a nation triumphs in a war, has a booming economy and safer streets.

In fact, we Christians should expect that matters will get worse as the world spins towards the final days, so our response to the tragedies of life need to be more than platitudes, more than prayer. We need to be expressing the hope of Christ and not just asking for the blessing of God.

For His Glory,
Tom

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