Wake Up!

 "Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."  (Hab. 2:19-20)

The above poster shows a woman in stars and stripes and symbolizing a sleeping America. After two years of neutrality, the United States entered World War 1 on April 6th, 1917. "The war to end all wars." James Montgomery Flagg created and published this poster in New York City on April 19th. "Wake Up!" for there is an ominous cloud on the horizon. 

First of all, self-discloser, I'm not having a bad day today. Actually the opposite. I'm not in a "mood." I don't need to vent. I'm not by nature a pessimist but an eternal optimist. But that does not mean that I look at my world through rose colored glasses. I see things for what they are and I see God's hand in the midst of it. If anything, I'm sad and concerned about what type of country my grandchildren will have to navigate as followers of Jesus. I reflect knowing full well that the world is celebrating all that I am expressing in opposition. 

I feel like we should be putting the poster up again. "Wake Up, America!" While you were asleep millions of babies have been murdered out of convenience. While you were sleeping God's plan for marriage and sexuality has been hijacked by the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer, community. They've even hijacked the symbol of promise - the rainbow - as their own symbol. While you were sleeping God has been forced out of schools and courtrooms and social discourse and replaced with the religion of secular humanism. While you were sleeping "work" became a dirty word and "welfare" and "socialism" have become the mantra of the lazy. While you were asleep "intolerance" became "tolerant," but only if you agreed with the permissive masses. While you were sleeping "science" or should I say, "pseudo-science" has become your god. While you were sleeping personal responsibility was replaced with Critical Race Theory and blame shifting. While you were sleeping America, "white" and especially "white males" and worse, "white males who are evangelical" became homophobic, racist, KKK, terrorists and should be eliminated ["guillotined" says one WOKE spokesperson]. They are clearly the problem - so the historical revisionist keep trying to convince us. While you were sleeping police officers became evil and criminals became celebrated social martyrs. While you were sleeping our national debt became unrepayable and our debt to love one another unimaginable. While you were sleeping evil became good and good became evil. While you were sleeping the wicked prospered and the righteous suffered. 

While you were sleeping, America...the Church of Jesus Christ slept as well. And now she finds herself marginalized and irrelevant to the world where she was supposed to be salt and light. She spent too much time entertaining herself and becoming a religio/social service club rather than a spokesperson for the Good News of Jesus Christ. A Savior has come for pitiful sinners. Wake up, America... To hear the words, "And God gave them over..."  

Is there any hope for America? I don't know. I fear not. I pray, "yes." Is there any hope for the Church? If it weren't for Jesus' words, "...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," I would fear not. I pray, "yes." But I leave you with the concluding words of Habakkuk 3:17-18: 

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, 

Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, 

Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."