The attention of many is on the progress of the coronavirus, its impact, its effect on world economy and its eventual course. With the hysteria, the political hay being made, the talk of conspiracies, possible vaccines and etcetera, I haven’t yet heard political leaders calling for prayer.
Man, in his natural state, is arrogant enough to believe he can control his fate, and that the answer to all the world’s problems may be found through intellect, science, industry and politics.
This is not a new attitude. A similar secularism and indifference toward God was evident in the quarter century preceding the Great Awakening in America in the 1730’s. Yet, in that era, several calamities, following one on another, brought about a sense among people that God “hath a controversy” with this people. When the few serious Christians began to pray, and formerly nominal Christians began to get right with God, revival began and resulted in an extended period of blessing and prospering in America lasting many decades.
Americans have grown accustomed to scourges which have been much more destructive than the current coronavirus. Those who buy and consume alcoholic drink are supporting an industry which has consistently delivered multiple thousands of deaths each year. Along with those killed, add many times more than that for those injured, crippled and maimed for life, directly or indirectly by those who consume alcohol.
The scourge of the drug traffic and its users, the abortionists, the pornographers and sexual deviants, these dark forces have consistently brought forth death and ruin. I wonder where the hysteria is for these scourges. Deaths here resulting from coronavirus are minuscule when compared to these other death-dealing curses on our culture.
There is good cause to suggest that God “hath a controversy” with America, and that it would be good for serious Christians to pray, and for half-hearted Christians to get serious about the things of God.
Hosea 4:1, Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.