About mid-summer of this year (2020) we began the process of repairing a garage. It's quite old and has seen many years of Wisconsin weather and general wear and tear. It was easy to see at the surface the areas needing attention - roof, siding, doors, windows, etc. We hired a very experienced contractor who was prepared to tackle the job and the project got underway. As is often the case with this kind of project, there was more going on than what we could see at surface level. The true extent of the repairs needed were revealed as the roof and siding were removed and the damage underneath was exposed. This was clearly going to require a greater amount of time and resources than we had originally thought. It was decision time.
Were we going to pretend we didn't see the deterioration that had taken place underneath and just slap a new roof and siding on, covering it up for someone else to fix? Or, were we going to invest the time and resources into repairing, restoring and breathing new life into it? Without question, the answer was restoration.
This is where we are as a nation. We have known for decades that our nation has been deteriorating. We don't have to look hard - it's been easy to see at the surface that we're in bad shape. Over the years, God has been equipping and raising up ones to come in and begin the repair work. As this year has unfolded, the "roof" and "siding" of the nation have been torn off - much has been, (and continues to be), uncovered.
Exposure demands a decision.
Are we going to try to cover everything up,
slapping some "quick fixes" on our country leaving the mess for another generation to clean up? Or, are we going to invest the time, energy and
resources needed to repair, revive and restore her? The answer for the
nation is no different than it was for the garage. Without question,
restoration is the right thing to do.
Do not be discouraged or give up! As unsettling as it is to see everything that is being uncovered, it is the first and necessary step toward restoration and healing. As a nation we have spent decades making things look good and/or making ourselves feel good - covering up the rot within, or running away from it. The "hard to hear" word is the Church is part of the nation and we have participated in that process. The good news is we can turn around and so can the United States.
The state of the Church directs the state of the nation. This is not through some governmental theocracy, but through prayer, intercession, humble service and the influence of lives well-lived in obedience before God. It is also by boldly taking every gift, talent and resource we've been entrusted with and using them to release the goodness, justice and blessing of God into every sphere of society - Government, Religion, Family, Business, Education, Media, Arts & Entertainment.
Before we can begin the process effectively, it is important we remember that pointing fingers, assigning blame and spreading vicious rumors is not restoration. Those kinds of activities waste the valuable time, talent and mental capacities that have been entrusted to us and run the risk of delaying the restorative process by creating conditions that foster further deterioration. The full focus of our attention must be on recapturing an understanding of the original purpose for this nation, returning to the foundational blueprints and rebuilding it. This is a huge undertaking that won't be without its challenges and resistance. If we persevere, the mechanisms that were placed into the original framework of our nation will be re-activated to prevent, or quickly detect and repair, any future deterioration. Diligence is required to restore and to maintain.
Taking the long view is of utmost importance. This will not be a quick fix and it is, ultimately, not about us. Present day events are significant but this is about more than a current candidate, political party or election. This is about restoring the firm foundation and functional framework of the United States of America for generations after us so they may carry out the assignment of this nation. On April 30, 1607, on the shores of Cape Henry, Reverend Robert Hunt raised his hands to heaven, consecrated this continent to the glory of God and, in covenantal language declared,
"...from these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World, but to the entire world."
God's purposes and plans for His Church, and this nation, are still in place. He has not broken, (or changed His mind about), the covenants He has established with the Church or the nation. I will share more on this in the next post.
The foundations and frameworks do not need to be torn down, reinvented and replaced with something completely new as some would have us think and do. The founding structure of our free republic established 200+ years ago is solid and still works. The foundation established in the Church 2,000+ years ago is Rock solid and will work for eternity. God is not making all new things - He is making all things new (Revelation 21:5)
Do not lose heart in the middle of the exposure process! Our nation is in rough shape but all is not lost. Lady Liberty is not condemned or slated for destruction! God has plans to remodel and renew this land to prepare us to complete the assignment released over 400 years ago. This is a call to the faithful and mature sons and daughters of God to be fully occupied with all that He has entrusted to us in this hour knowing it will matter greatly in the future. There is a nation to preserve now for the purpose of a harvest to be reaped in the days ahead.
Moses said, ‘Please. Let me see your Glory.’ God said, ‘I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I’ll call out the name, God, right before you.’” (Ex 33:18-19a)
No comments:
Post a Comment