And we said OK

I received this some months ago and filed it away for future use. Now 2005 is drawing to a close. This would be a good time to talk about where we are headed as a nation.

This was taken from a TV interview with Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham’s daughter). In light of the many perversions and jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it’s not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her, "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11). Anne Graham Lotz gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

In light of recent events — terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. — I think it started when Madalyn Murray O'Hair (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. “And we said OK.”.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. “And we said OK.”

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "we reap what we sow." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world is going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?

Funny how if you forward this newspaper article, you may not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.”

Now for my comments. Very few people today will stand up for moral or Christian principles, yet many claim they believe in God. Can we have it both ways? I say not. Remember that scary scripture that says, “If you confess me before men, I will confess you before my Father in Heaven.” Are you saying OK to all that goes on before you?

Have a Christ-filled New Year!