Living in a Fallen World

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” (Isaiah 5:20-21 NIV)

Was the Lord speaking through Isaiah about our age?  The more you look at it, the more it seems to fit, and it is tempting to get enraged, depressed, or scared.  What kind of world, society are we living in, we may ask, longing for a more comforting past.

Yes, we live in a time when so many see the need to save unwanted pets or endangered animals, but offer little or no outcry to the millions of unborn babies being killed in the wombs of their mothers, or go as far as to declare it a right.  We live in a time where universities restrict or prohibit Christian ministries on campus because of their perceived discrimination against homosexuals, while welcoming and lauding Islam, which in the nations where it is the state religion, is used as a basis to imprison or kill those engaged in homosexual acts.  And while NASA’s telescopes and probes show just how unimaginably large the universe truly is, and microbiology continues to demonstrate how incredibly intricate and complex the make-up of life is in its various forms, the vast majority of scientists contend there is no evidence for the existence of God.

And one could go on with a myriad of examples of how our world has turned truth on its head, feels quite clever and good about it, and mock those who would call their conclusions and actions into question.  This is life in a fallen world and it is nothing new.  The ancients carved idols out of wood or stone and worshiped them.  They made sacrifices out of their children in order to placate their gods.  They trusted in their own wisdom and might.  And when challenged, they persecuted or put to death those who refused to agree.  

So we should not be surprised by what we see and hear today.  While we may be shocked, a look at history will reveal many similarities.  It may be new to us, but it is certainly not new.  And what has been true throughout history and remains true today is that God is in control. Regardless of how crazy and out of control things may seem in our world, His hand is still on the wheel.  In fact, in this passage it is God who makes the observation and issues the warning.  He knows exactly what is going on and will respond in His time.  Thus, we need not be anxious about what is happening around us.

In fact, our calling is to remain faithful to His calling to love our enemies and do good to those who seek to persecute us (Luke 6:27-28). Our job is not to save the world, but to live in it as His light (Matthew 5:14-15). He will do the saving—of those who are willing to open their hearts to Him.

Today, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the fallenness of this world, remember that God is in control and you do not need to be afraid or panicked.  You just need to remain faithful.  He will take care of the rest.

© Jim Musser 2015