Understanding our times
While on a recent trip, I bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen in many years, and like most impromptu reunions, we asked each other about the where, when family and friends, the basic small talk. I told him I was living in Alberta, and it wasn't long before our roadside connection shifted to the wildfires. It had been all over the news, so I wasn't surprised when our conversation migrated in this direction. I was surprised, however, when suddenly, during our chat, he said, "I'm not a religious man, but you'd have to be stupid not to see that everything that's happening in the world seems to line up with the Bible." BOOM! There's a mic drop for ya!
I think he might be on to something. It seems to me that wherever you turn today, we hear of more corruption, more cynicism, more despair, more depression, more suicides, more addictions, more marriages and families falling apart, more wildfires, more catastrophic events, and more "general chaos" than ever before.
Does this raise any questions for you? I'm sure we all have opinions on where we can attribute blame for the general nuttiness we're experiencing. Pick your poison. Whether politicians, special interest groups, or climate change, the reality is simple. Assigning blame will never right a listing ship; recognizing there's something wrong is one thing, but understanding how to fix it is something completely different.
I was reminded of 1 Chronicles 12, which tells us about David's mighty men who helped him during his many battles. Among them were the sons of Issachar, who are described as being men who "understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do." To "understand the times" and have the knowledge as to what we "should do" in the 21st-century church means first understanding that the answers the world is looking for will never come from our own strength, intellect, power, position or ability. It can but only from God's divine revelation.
The book of Daniel paints quite a picture of what happens when people try to do things with their own strength. The stage is set, and King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. He's looking to earthly wisdom for the answer; he doesn't find what he's looking for. What happens next? Complete chaos! Let's kill all the wise men and turn their houses into piles of rubble! While this may seem extreme, it is also quite telling and depicts well what happens in a society when we try to answer questions without the divine revelation of the Holy Spirit.
So what should we do? Well, I believe it's quite clear. If we are to be like the men of Issachar who understood their times and knew what Israel "should do," then we also have to become like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and become a people of prayer.
I know we pray, but let me explain what I'm saying. I don't mean "now I lay me down to sleep" type of praying. I mean honest, heartfelt, and broken prayer where our agendas, ideas, and plans are laid down and laid bare before God, and we finally admit that we don't know what to do!
You can rest assured that when Daniel heard the edict the king had issued to kill him and his co-workers, he didn't have questions about the agenda his colleagues had written for the next day's business or board meeting. I don't know what Daniel was thinking during his interactions with the king, the king's guard, or his friends, but I'm pretty sure it went something like this. "God, can you please help us because, without You, we're done for!"
This one fact remains: We can't do this with our own strength, power or ability. Our wisdom will fail us, and just as it was in Daniels's day, we need to revisit our true source and seek His face, as He is the only One who can give us the answers to the questions that society is asking about what is happening to the world around us.
Understanding the times calls us to action, not to fear and dismay in the midst of chaos. We shouldn't be running amok, throwing our hands in the air, crying, "The sky is falling," no! Like Daniel and the men of Issachar, we have been placed here for such a time as this to speak with wisdom and be a calming voice when everything else seems unhinged.
As leaders, pastors, parents, and parishioners alike, we have a great door of opportunity in front of us, so let's take up the armour of God and march into battle with confident assurance that Satan and evil can be overcome through the power of prayer.
Every fall, we come together as ABWNT ministry leaders and credential holders to pray for our ministries, region, and world. Join us at a location near you for two hours of concentrated prayer and worship together. This will be uplifting and inspiring for all who attend.