The Age To Come

Recently I was waxing lyrical on the coming storm, and I thought I’d develop the theme a little bit more here.

It might be useful to consider our current situation – as I did when using the analogy of the white, pasty figure. One might indeed argue that we are currently under the worst kind of curse – a spiritual curse that numbs the body, mind and soul in physical ‘riches’, condeming us to hell because we never knew our real need.

Is money in itself a curse? Well no, I do not think so, though it has to be handled very, very carefully. And when we are as physically rich a culture as we are now, the sensible, sane thing to do it to seek to give that we would supply others need out of our riches. That is I think the choice that leads to life.

However, we have, as a culture, often chosen the darker path – hoarding our possessions, until they possess us. At that point, money does indeed become a curse. It’s often said that the wallet is the last thing in a Christians life to be converted – a telling indication of what is really important to us, and what really holds us in its grip. And this grip, it is a death grip, that will not let hold of us until we are spiritually blind, deaf – and dead. We wallow in everything we have, and our deadened souls are prepared for hell. Yes, as it can be fairly said that we as a culture are cursed through what we have allowed our possessions to become.

Did God intend this – is it a judgment against us? I do not know. Suffice to say, possessions are in themselves a test – to use what God has given for His glory, or to use it for our own ends, on the broad easy way to destruction.

It’s probably easier to note that whatever the intent was, the reality is that the weight of our possessions has become a curse unto us – and a curse of the most deadly kind, slowly killing us without us even being aware in most cases.

So, in light of that, what are we to make of the coming storm? For many of us it is going to appear a curse, although as I pointed out, it will also be a great opportunity. In fact I think it will eventually prove to be in many ways a great blessing, or mercy for those that walk in the way of the Cross. Now, indeed it will appear nothing of the kind, at least at the time. However, like with Susans dam, I rather think it will prove in the end to be to the good.

Lord, save us from the curses of poverty or wealth, rather give us simply what is needed in due season, and turn our hearts so that they will trust in you. Have mercy upon us, remember our frame, do not repay evil for evil but form us in your heart to be pleasing to your eyes. In the name of Christ I ask this. Amen.

I believe Mercy is our last best hope. Justice is good, it is desirable – and God is a just God. We get angry when we see injustice. But I am so glad that it does not stop there.

For by the strictures of justice, I am condemned, and justly so. I do not desire justice, not for me. Were the heart of love only about justice and law there would be no hope, not for any of us, especially in this day and age. We stand, individually and as a culture, condemned. The jury has sat, the evidence read out, the judgement rendered. We are guilty; Justice condemns us.

No, right now I am rooting for Mercy. Of course these are just different facets of the same Heart but, humans that we are, we need to differentiate to understand. I plead for mercy, both for me, and in the current times for us – our people, our nation. It’s all we have – and no-one can plumb the depths of Gods mercy.

Consider King David’s story in 1 Chronicles 21:

1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

14 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. 15 And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah [b] the Jebusite.

He knew that of the choices before him the only real hope was to throw himself on the mercy of God, in repentance and anguish to submit to that divine Mercy. Sure enough, even in the midst of judgment and wrath, God remembers. How can he do other? The heart that burns with anger against sin also is the most kind and tender heart that I have ever known. This is not weakness – it is strength beyond human comprehension. David knew this, that the only place he could fall was into the arms of God. There was nowhere else to go.

Do we know this? Or would apathy blind us? I am convinced that God will not – indeed cannot – refuse prayers that entreat on His Mercy. It is who He is, He cannot deny Himself.

Put it another way, I am convinced that God is peculiarly vulnerable to our call on His mercy. Does He not know our frame, our weaknesses? Has He not known what it is to be human?

If there is one thing that we can do right now, it is to humble ourselves and pray, even at this late hour, for His Mercy – on ourselves, our land, and our people.