America as I know it, slips away

Isaiah 3:8-9: "Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves."

We have entered into the annual spendathon—Christmas shopping season. Yes, I have the privilege to drive all over the country, wait in line to buy cheap, Chinese junk that I really don’t need. In reality most of it will (or should) be in the dumpster in two years.

The “good news” about this is that I can put it on the credit card and according the ads bombarding my desk, I don’t have to pay the bill. Yes, I can avoid bankruptcy, settle with the credit card company for 20 cents on the dollar and preserve my somewhat damaged credit rating. Isn’t this America great? I can have my pie and eat it too.

I also see ads on TV on how to settle delinquent taxes for only a fraction of the original cost. A fifties something woman with jacked-up hair sitting next to her docile, somewhat ashamed husband, chortles, “I settled my $115,000 tax obligation for $7,500 with the help of ‘Tax Busters’.” Not a bad deal. I mean with the money I save by not paying my credit card bills and taxes, I can have a good old time this Holiday Season.

As I listen to these ads, I hear our core values being eroded away. In our culture there always seems to be an out for ridiculous, immature, irresponsible behavior. People, it’s no free lunch, the rest of us pay the bill. We pay the bill with higher prices for goods and higher taxes to ease the insurmountable deficit.

On Channel 4 News the other evening, a woman psychologist reported they are doing a land office business with people struggling with economic issues. The Doctor said, “What is sad this time is the people who have done everything right, worked hard and saved their money, are now losing it. The system has failed them.” A sobering comment in these days.

On December 10, 2008, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said "The federal government of the United States of America is broke.” “What they are proposing to do is pay credit card debt with more credit card debt." "They are engaged in a very elaborate Ponzi scheme," said Pawlenty. "It is a house of cards and it is eventually going to collapse, I will predict to you, sooner rather than later." If this will come true, it will be sobering.

America, I hardly know you. In these days we would do well to remember the words of Scott Wesley Brown in his song, “This Little Child.” In verse two, it says in part: “Yet in the midst of this darkness, There is a hope, a light that burns. This little child - the King of kings – Some day will return!” (Click on the Blog Title above)

Speaking of Jesus in John 1:1-5: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” Church, rise up—be the light in this dark, dark world.