God Isn’t Fixing This
Many were shocked by the New York Daily News front page headline which read, “God Isn’t Fixing This.” If you saw this, you will remember that it was following the San Bernardino terrorist attack.It was in response to numerous politicians who had made comments about “thoughts and prayers” for the hurting families and community. It was an attack on politicians who “merely pray” about these horrible attacks, as opposed to doing something about the problem, like writing more legislation regarding gun ownership.So maybe the Daily News was just trying to bring attention-grabbing headlines and not trying to say something about God at all? Maybe it was just a political jab? A call for change? Maybe it’s just about guns?Within a day or two of that headline, another Daily News article came out blaming one of the fourteen victims for the horrible incident. Yes, one labeled as a “radical Born Again Christian/Messianic Jew” was to blame for inciting this Muslim couple to snap.Even though there was considerable backlash to both of these articles, I have to wonder if this might be the mainstream way of thinking in just a few years. It might go something like this: God, if he does exist, isn’t helping, and vocal Christians are the real problem holding back needed changes in society.I want to suggest three things. First, much of the problem with America is that Christians in America have not been vocal about the gospel and biblical standards. Our hypocrisy and silence have not only made us irrelevant in society; we have become putrid to a society that needs salt and light to cleanse, heal, and preserve. Jesus said,
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16 NASB).
Secondly, what is meant by “God isn’t fixing this”? Does it mean, He isn’t stopping horrible acts of sin? Is He unable to stop acts of violence? Is he an impotent god? Wouldn’t a loving God help people? Wouldn’t He stop mass shootings if He could? Does God even exist? Since He can’t or won’t, then we need to fix things ourselves.The problem is that we have invited destruction on ourselves by rejecting the laws and commandments of God. For over a generation now, we have snubbed our nose at a God we still call to for help, but not One we bow to in submission.We voted to kill babies in the womb. We don’t want our children to pray in school. We want separation between the church and its influence on the state. We have removed the Ten Commandments from public sight. We have redefined marriage.Our “tolerant” society has rejected the absolutes of God and His Word. We have done what is right in our own eyes.So will we now accuse Him of not fixing this, of not helping us? We have provoked Him, and we must humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and repent (2 Chronicles 7:14).Thirdly, for many years our nation has experienced a lack of authentic Christianity and seasons of revival. The only newsworthy stories about Christians seem to be about those who have “fallen from grace” because of some sex scandal or the embezzling of church funds.Can you imagine what the headline would have been in the Jerusalem Post on that first Pentecost after Jesus rose from the dead? Maybe it would have been something like, “Thousands Baptized and Follow Messiah After Sermon by Fiery Fisherman.”Actually, we do have some headlines published during the Great Prayer Revival of 1857–1859:
- New Haven, Conn. – City’s Biggest Church Packed Twice Daily for Prayer
- Bethel, Conn. – Business Shuts Down for Hour Each Day; Everybody Prays
- Albany, N.Y. – State Legislators Get Down on Knees
- Schenectady, N.Y. – Ice on the Mohawk Broken for Baptisms
- Washington, D.C. – Five Prayer Meetings Go Round the Clock
- New Haven, Conn. – Revival Sweeps Yale
Isn’t this why OneCry exists? Isn’t this why we pray? We are asking God to show up on the scene.Just think what the headline would read if God sent a great revival. It certainly wouldn’t be, “God Isn’t Fixing This,” but maybe something like the ones above, or simply, “God Is Here.”This IS why OneCry exists. Join us in inviting others to turn, pray, and unite. We need God to fix us!