Wednesday, December 12, 2001
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Wednesday, December 12, 2001 |
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America's unity fading ... it's back to politics as usual By REV JOHN HATCHER President Bush and Congress are in a dither over an economic stimulus package. With billions of dollars lost as a result of 9/11 and with billions being spent by the Department of Defense, the economy is in a whole lot of trouble. No doubt about it: the economy is our god. The Clinton campaign theme of 1992 was, "It's the economy, stupid." And he was right. The older Bush had led us successfully in the Persian Gulf War. But, the economy was on the skids. Clinton's win was all about cash, not character. The immediate aftermath of 9/11 showed a nation at prayer. Right? Prayer services were being conducted on the streets of New York City where, heretofore, they were prohibited (imagine a hokey prayer service in the sophisticated streets of cosmopolitan New York City). But it happened as an aftermath. U.S. Representatives and Senators were spotted huddling in prayer. The President called the nation to prayer. Many people found where the church houses were located. Church attendance rose. It was if Easter came early. Prophets and pastors, evangelists and apostles were on the edge of our seats hoping this would be the wake-up call to which America would respond. Not so. Remember the Columbine massacres when our high school youth were gunned down in the safety of their own school. Do you remember the spiking of prayer and the raising of great concern for America's youth? Remember? The aftermath of Columbine saw many Christians make resolves that they never kept. They said, "It's going to be different." Not so. We are a divided land and a troubled people, vexed by our own insecurities which focus on whether or not we will have the money to buy all the toys we want a la BMW, PC, or IT, whether or not we will get a lower interest rate on our new mortgage, whether or not our insurance will pay our medical bills. In Sunday's AJC, Cynthia Tucker takes on the U. S. Attorney General, characterizing him as a right-winger, wanting to take away the civil rights of the people. She says he should be fired. No, Cynthia Tucker ought to be fired if the AJC had any guts. The Democratic controlled Senate is holding up important nominees to federal courts. Why? They are playing politics again. The unity we all felt after 9/11 has been sucked away by the blowhards of partisan politics. Yes, we have had our fair share of wake-up calls in the United States. But, no, we have not awakened. Do you remember the wake-up call that finally captured the attention of Pharaoh down in Egypt land? It was when the first-born was struck dead in every Egyptian home, including Pharaoh's. If we are waiting for a wake-up call to which America will respond, it will have to touch personally millions of families. Is there a better way? Yes. God has shown us a far better way for healing to take place in our land so that we can work out differences rather than debating our differences. The Word of God says in 1 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." But here's the rub. The healing starts in the Christian churches where God's people are lodging. Get the picture, now? Our very own planes are bombing our very own cities. Our very own kids are killing our very own kids. In Georgia alone, about 35 percent of all births are to unwed mothers. Get the picture? It's not pretty. God sent a prophet named Jonah to preach a simple message to the wicked citizens of Nineveh. Here was his message: "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed." No buildings destroyed yet. But in forty days, destruction will come. Get the picture? Upon hearing that simple, but powerful message, the entire city repented of their wickedness from king to commoner. It shouldn't take any more pain for God's people to get restless in their seats, fall on their knees, and beg in desperation for God's holiness and healing. But, we wait. We wait to get on our knees until it touches us. Revival won't begin at the ruined World Trade Center, but at the unworn carpet of the local church.
The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
