Dear Friends,
In reading through portions of the Old Testament this fall, I was reminded how often God blessed the Israelites with impossible problems so that they would turn from relying on their own strength and wisdom and come to Him. Time and again they faced both physical and spiritual crises, many brought on by their own spiritual waywardness. They were, in Moses's words, a "stiff-necked" people. But are we much different from the ancient Hebrews? What generation of humanity could be considered more stiff-necked than our own? Who has ever taken more enormous pride in strength and knowledge and "advancement," while studiously ignoring spiritual crises?
This reflection prepared me for what I am now reading in the scientific literature. Alarms are beginning to sound. This past month, for example, researchers published the first sophisticated climate model incorporating both global warming and global cooling factors. The model established that global warming is real, a consequence mainly of modern civilation's energy consumption, and its predictions are dire. But what stunned me most was the gross inadequacy of the "solutions" proposed by a blue ribbon panel of experts. Many were shortsighted and would eventually make our climatic problems worse rather than better. The one that might possibly help would cost at least a trillion dollars to build and many more trillions to maintain. None of their suggestions addressed the threat of increasingly severe storms caused by simultaneous warming and (artificial) cooling.
Do I have a better recommendation? Not a physical one. The panel came up with the best responses currently available in technology. But I would like to make a spiritual observation. I detected not a trace of humility or of the need for divine guidance in anything these experts wrote.
I believe that there are many scientific and societal problems through which God is calling the nations to repent, to turn to Him for answers they lack. Species extinction, soil depletion, water pollution, and disease control are just a few of the more obvious "insoluble" crises on the list. But does anyone even at our scientific and political conferences even think of seeking God's help? Would anyone dare mention the need of it? Do we ever consider that our worst crises lie in the spiritual realm? Does it cross our minds that love and justice the world over are being destroyed by a lack of knowledge of the Holy One. Do we ever publicly acknowledge that the One who assigned us our task of managing the planet also promised to advise us: and warned us of certain failure if we ignored His counsel?
The bad new is, in one sense, good news. God is giving us a wake-up call. As the book of Revelation declares, God will, as necessary, shake the peoples of the earth to their senses. When the shaking occurs, those who know the benefits of humility, of trusting Him for direction in managing their relationships and resources, will most likely be prepared to help and to comfort the frightened, pointing them towards Him. I want to be among those who have hope and help to offer, and I trust you do, too.
Sincerely,
Hugh Ross
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