In 2 Chronicles 15, only about 50 years after Solomon dedicated the Temple to Yahweh, Judah was in a mess. You can read about the situation in 2 Chronicles 15:1-7. In verse 6, the Chronicler attributed the hardship that had fallen on them as coming from God.
They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. (Emphasis added)
God troubled them. He didn’t just allow it, He ordained it. Sent it. Purposed it for His glory.
The last 13 months have been some of the most difficult times many of us have experienced in our lives. I am convinced more than ever, however, the difficulty has come our way at the hand of God. And sadly, we seem to have failed to learn the lessons He intended.
The Classroom of Lessons
Over the last 13 or so months, we have experienced an incredible flow of extraordinary life events. 2020 started out with natural disasters – earthquakes, wildfires, and the beginnings of a prolific and destructive hurricane season.
The outbreak of the Coronavirus altered our way of life. It shut down businesses, church meetings, threatened the health of our population, and took the life of many. We still engage in some of the inconveniences brought on by the virus such as wearing masks and social distancing.
Racial unrest and a volatile political season added to the pain of the year. The volatility of these events have left us even more polarized and divided. We currently experience an outbreak of an “emotional virus” maybe more threatening that COVID. All sides seem to be separating into their own ideological echo chambers, producing what I wrote about earlier, intellectual incest. In case you missed it, you can read it here.
The Laboratory for Lessons
Yes, God has troubled America, not so much out of judgment. He has acted out of His love for us and desire for us to return to Him. When you think about the effects the catastrophic events of 2020 had on us, you can see a pattern develop. God chipped away at things we trusted or enjoyed more than we did Him.
Natural disasters affected physical landscapes and made travel to desired destinations more difficult if not impossible. Business closings impacted a strong economy in which many located their security. Restaurants, entertainment, and sports closings took away some of our most treasured leisure opportunities. Church closings exposed the inward focus of many our churches as ministry screeched to a halt with inaccessible buildings.
This summer’s interaction between law enforcement and the African-American community revealed a latent lack of understanding and dangerous lack of trust between people on all sides. The elections of 2020 further demonstrated our inability to agreeably disagree.
The most recent fallout has been the move by Social Media and Big Tech to flex their muscle in drowning out dissenting voices. Subsequently, those dissenting voices are retreating to more like-minded media. Both developments will keep us from listening to and learning from each other.
The Lessons to Learn
In all of these changes, God is addressing things that we have allowed to become more precious to us than HIM.
He took away our entertainment so maybe we could spend more time with Him (and with family).
God closed our churches to make us appreciate gathering even more. I was amazed that many Christians who chose travel ball, beach, lake, and leisure life had the nerve to complain when governments asked churches not to meet.
And God took away church gatherings to remind us that church is not a building or an address. Maybe He wanted us to learn that when we could GO to church, we could still BE the church.
God pulled the plug on our economy to teach us not to trust in money, but trust Him.
He has disturbed the false sense of civil peace to show us we still don’t know how to love our neighbor as ourself.
God threw our political structure into disarray to show us that His Kingdom is not of this world.
The Way Out
And the list could go on. But is there a way out? Yes, definitely. God has not broken off the bruised reed or snuffed out the smoldering wick (Isaiah 42:3). We find His answer back in our 2 Chronicles 15:2 in the prophet Azariah’s words to King Asa.
… The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
Learn the lessons He wants to teach us. It’s time we fall at the foot of the Throne of King Jesus and make HIS Kingdom our life’s pursuit. Get in His Word, learn His ways. Make living for HIM a priority. Put aside the things we have substituted for Him and live for Him.
This may be God’s final warning call. He gives His promise that those who seek HIM find Him. There is a way out of this mess. As always Jesus is The WAY.