Generation Me

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of Hosts: 'The time will certainly come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,' says the LORD. 'Some of your descendants who come from you will be taken away, and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought: There will be peace and security during my lifetime.
~ Isaiah 39:5-8 (HCSB)

Headlines within the last 2 days:

Stocks Nose-Dive Amid Global Fears
Weak Outlook, Government Debt Worries Drive Dow's Biggest Point Drop Since '08

August 5, 2011, The Wall Street Journal Online

Military Money on Chopping Block as Lawmakers Seek Savings
Published August 04, 2011, Associated Press

US debt now greater than GDP
Hot Air Green Room Posted at 10:12 am on August 4, 2011 by Bruce McQuain

For the last few weeks, we’ve all heard politicians tell us why or why not our country needs to have the debt ceiling raised yet again.

Honestly, I’m not trying to start a political argument, and honestly, I don’t know the answer. Was it a good idea to raise it again? Should our nation’s Triple A credit rating been tarnished?

I don’t know.

My question is this. When is our generation going to start thinking about the next generation and the one after that?

Are we like Hezekiah? Do we see our future of inevitably being carried off to Babylon…or China? Yet think to ourselves, it is good…if my 401K survives and I am able to retire without going bankrupt.

Will we, as Americans, be okay with cutting our military spending? Do any of us have any idea how many terrorist plots have been foiled since September 11, 2001? And are we really willing to let our guard down for future generations?

What kind of America will our children and grandchildren live in? Will they be dodging dirty bombs at crowded events and suicide bombers in their local shopping malls?

Yet think to ourselves, it is good…if I do not see nuclear war in my lifetime.

My daughter (the oldest of my 3 kids) starts high school this fall. College is just around the corner. I’m just as concerned as the next person who hopes to have enough money to send their kids to college, and yes, it would be nice if there were something left in their 529s for their education.

But let’s face it. College will do them no good if there are no jobs waiting on them when they graduate.

I will be the first to admit that watching the stock market tumble and the reported job losses makes my stomach churn and my head throb. Sometimes I have to change the channel from Fox News to The Waltons. (Ironic, since the Walton Family was living through The Great Depression! We can learn a lot from that generation.)

Let’s not be like Hezekiah. Thinking it’s all good if there is stability, peace and security in my lifetime - all about "Generation Me."

So, what is the wise answer? Where do we cut our spending? How do we pay for what is really necessary for our government to function properly?

I don’t know. It’s all so confusing. But I do know that there is no quick fix to the mess we have gotten ourselves into. And the answer is NOT to keep borrowing and printing more money.

And it’s time we pray. Really pray. More fervently pray. (And I’m definitely speaking about myself here.)

Simply pray.

I love the way The Message translates 1 Timothy 2:1-3:

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

Let’s commit to praying for our country - wisdom for our leaders, the upcoming Presidential election, those without jobs, and for spiritual revival.

Pray for our children and future generations, lest they be carried off to the country we owe the most.

Take a few minutes to read Jeremiah 33 about God's restoration of a nation.

Verses of Comfort:

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. Jeremiah 33:6-7 (NIV)

Praying for our future,
Christy

© 2011 by Christy Long. All rights reserved.

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