Is It the Nightly News or Scripture?

I have recently read the following books in the Bible: Esther, Daniel, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. I started Jeremiah yesterday morning. Some of the readings were for training union classes. Others were part of my morning prayer time - a chapter a morning. Ecclesiastes was just because I wanted to...a little quality time with Solomon!

The more I read from the Old Testament, the more confused I got about what I was reading. Let me explain, because this issue has nothing to do with comprehending what is on the written page, but everything to do with whether I'm reading in the past or present tense. Am I reading history, or am I watching the nightly news?

The Old Testament is full of the rise and fall of power. The struggle for knowledge and power is as old as the garden of Eden. There have been Godly rulers, ungodly rulers, indifferent rulers, and just plain crazy rulers. You can easily find quests for one world empires and wars that have raged for hundreds of years. Wars? One world order? Sound familiar? Probably because you were just reading the ticker running across the screen of Fox News!

So, we find ourselves in very familiar territory from God's standpoint. He has seen this shift from God to self time and time again. Our country's quest to seek self long ago surpassed our desire to please God. We spend too much. We watch too much. We talk too much (well I do). We turn our backs on those in need. We refuse to forgive. As a result, we are in trouble. We think we've lost common sense, basic principles, freedom. We lost God. Well, actually we refused Him.

Scripture does not just testify to the rise and fall of empires. It also testifies to a loving God...a God who is mighty to save (just like the song says). He loves us, longs for our return, waits to bless His prodigals, and is covering the faithful with His grace...even now...even today.

Do you need reassurance? Go to the Word of God. You can find yourself, your family, your church (I hope we're not lukewarm!), your culture. The Word of God is alive, real, and as tangible as the tickers that run across your news feeds!