WHAT TO DO ABOUT HUMANITY’S HORRID CONDITION

Are you like me, disturbed by the overwhelmingly horrid conditions of humanity and a seeming inability and collective unwillingness to do something about it?  By horrid conditions I mean the gross economic injustice and organized crime masquerading as democratic governments.  I mean the rape, murder, oppression, and genocide of whole populations by despots and war Lords.  I mean the violent, vicious dehumanization of vulnerable peoples in the contexts of civil war in places of the global south.  I mean the insidious, toxic global profit of drug cartels, arms dealers, and global human sex trafficking with the participation of every day citizens as consumers of drugs, guns, and sex.  I mean the self-serving demonization of people in the political opposition.  I also mean the benign neglect and callous indifference of most of the world who look the other way and pretend that they don’t see the sin that daily washes over the world.

I don’t mean to diminish the global humanitarian concern and compassion we see in organizations like The Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision and others who reflect largely a Christian response.  They bring hope and healing to millions.  But the magnitude of sin in the world far outstrips the relatively small measure of compassion offered in Jesus name.  This is the case in part because the response of more than two billion people in the world, who self-identify as Christians, is either to do nothing or to respond with token charity.  In this country it is seen as enough to drop a donation into a Salvation Army kettle at Christmas or send World Vision a twenty-five dollar gift as long as one receives a charitable tax benefit.  While such collective efforts adds up and makes possible organized acts of compassion, is it really enough to counter the long established sin-based roots of the world’s suffering?  Clearly not!

Where does one even begin?  There is only one answer.  The world cries for a complete about face, a radical change in direction, a global movement of repentance and forgiveness.  Until there is a worldwide acknowledgement of sins of commission and omission, there will be no solution to the world’s greatest problems.  The world’s daily papers, evening news, talk radio programs, and internet communications give testimony to the disobedience and willful sin that characterizes humanity’s existence.  

2 Chronicles 2:14

The answer is global revival, repentance, redemption, and restoration.  The world needs a complete washing away of sin and a complete 180 degree turn to Christ.  Only the love of Christ can restore the world to a place of loving kindness, mercy, and justice. That may not occur until Christ comes again, but in the mean time the first response of all sincere followers of Christ must be prayer.  All revivals in history began with prayer.  Prayer is our first response.  Prayer seeks God’s intervention, guidance and wisdom.  In prayer we seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.  We plead for the Holy Spirit to come into the world.  We petition God to occasion a great salvation, and to give us a love in the likeness of his love for the world.  Where does it begin.  I see now that it begins with me.

Here I am, Lord.  It is I Lord?  I have heard You calling in the night.

I will pray, Lord.  You will hear me.  I will hold your people in my heart.*

*Words adapted from J. Gowans and J. Larson’s “Here am I Lord.” SASB 482