CHAOS RULES, OR DOES IT?
The sun has gone to bed. So should I. But, I'm committed to writing this article, and I'm not a quiter. The clock is ticking. My mind wanders. I tap at the keyboard, then delete. There is so much to write, yet my fingers are paralyzed. It's not just my fingers that feel paralyzed. I feel paralyzed. Strange this is! The Spirit has never rested since He opened my eyes to the holocaust of abortion. He has constantly nudged me to speak up! Get involved! Lend a hand! Offer a shoulder! Make a difference while there is light of day! Like many of you, I heard the whispers: "She's a bit too intense." "Why doesn't she lighten up?" I remember the LWML woman who, most kindly, said, "Thank you for your message about abortion, but my children are all grown now and this issue really doesn't affect me." My emotion wanted to scream, but my better judgment seized the moment. I sighed, smiled, then tried to explain. We LFLers warned about the slippery slope to euthanasia, and so much more. Well, it's so "much more" later...
...And, here we are, mired in a culture that mourns a Lutheran abortionist, but cannot cry for the beating hearts he stopped; where children are thoroughly education in sex, but more at risk than ever before by an epidemic of diseases, broken hearts, and sexual addiction; where "prairie folk" legalized same-sex marriage and label the behavioral and risky choice a "civil rights issue;" where the United Nations is poised to usurp the rights of American parents; where professional politicians believe health care may be too expensive for certain "classes" of people and students of Dr. Kevorkian wait around the corner to "save the economy;" where self-gratification and indulgence is nurtured at the expense of others. Narcissism rules and chaos reigns.
Or, does it? "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth," asks God of Job. "Tell me if you have such insight. Who determined its dimensions... who stretched a measuring line over it? On what were its footings sunk? Who laid its cornerstone when the morning start sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Who shut the sea behind gates... and said, 'You may come this far but no farther. Here your proud waves will stop." (Job 38: 4-11)
God, the creator of the universe, has never and will never relinquish control. It would be contrary to His very nature. The God who "connects the chains of the constellation Pleiades and unties the ropes of Orion (v 31); the God who sends "lightening flashes so that they may go and say to you 'Here we are' (v. 35); and the God who put "wisdom in the heart and gave understanding to the mind" (v.36) is the God who "provides food for the crow when its young ones cry..." (v.41).
Does chaos reign? Life certainly seemed out of control when my husband, mother-in-law and I were held captive on board a plane for three hours while the maintenance crew serviced the engine. How surprising to me that the magazine I happened to bring revealed exciting evidence of order and truth at work. This evidence serves as a reminder to you and me that God, not chaos, reigns. John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, authors of the book God Is Back, say Christianity is poised to do well - and better than Islam - in the 21st century. For example, "The Quran can't be translated into any other language. So most people that Muslims are converting do not understand a word of what they are taught to recite..." Contrast that with the fact that God's Word, the Bible, is published in 95% of the languages of the world. In Europe, religious questions are back in the culture, in part, because of the rise of Islam and its repercussions. Now, let me ask. Have you noticed the growing number of bestsellers by atheists during the past several years? Micklethwait observes, "You do not suddenly wake up in a panic about God being bad or terrible if you think you've already won the argument. If you went back 10 or 20 years, the idea that Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens could write a bestseller on the subject would have seemed odd, because - certainly in Europe - most of the educated elites would have assumed God was disappearing anyway, so what's the worry?" (WORLD, June 20, 2009 "Q & A by Marvin Olasky)
Does chaos reign? "The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His anointed One. 'Let us break their chains,' they say, 'and throw off their fetters.' The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them..." (Psalm 2:1-4). "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne" (Psalm 4:8). "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told" (Habakkuk 1:5),
It may appear that the culture has lost it moral footing. We may fear the pagan culture ready to absorb us. We may feel paralyzed and powerless to engage. But, while God is doing His work, there is something we can do, too. We can live. We can live as men and women eager to glorify God while He transforms the culture. God gives us a model for affecting the lives of others. It follows the order of creation and is gender-specific. You can find that model in Titus 2:1-8. A young pastor named Titus and his congregation used this model to affect the lives of others -- one man, one woman, one child, one family, one neighbor, one community at a time. They mentored generations of hope.
Narcissism may seem to rule. It may appear that our world is spinning out of control. But, did you notice that my fingers aren't paralyzed anymore? The darkness overpowered me for awhile last night but, the Lord's compassions are new every morning! Because of His great love, you and I are not consumed! (Lamentations 3:22-23). Rather, we are reenergized with hope. Hope is visible. A young mother of three recently hosted a Titus 2 Retreat in her home. Guests were married and single; moms of young children and adult children. Some were practicing medicine, law, or writing their thesis; others were busy at home or involved with missions. Each one was already living counterculture; therefore, ready to come together for encouragement, but also discuss "hot button" issues and practice contrasting the world with God's Word.
Hope has no boundaries. A woman I've never met e-mailed, asking,"Please! Would you come to Houston?" She had visited www.titus2-4life.org many times and ordered multiple resources from LFL. "I'm not Lutheran," she explained, "but, together with my husband, we have a ministry to the Hispanic community in the inner city. We have Bible studies with men and women who are single or married with families. Please! Come to Houston! These people are hungry to know how to live as men and women for the sake of generations to come!" This woman is joining others in my home this fall for a Titus 2 Training Retreat. Narcissism does not rule. Chaos does not reign.
We may be waiting for the blessed hope: Jesus Christ. But, while we wait, we live as men and women in this present age eager to glorify God and mentor generations of hope!
By Linda Bartlett
First published in the Fall 2009 issue of LifeDate
(www.lutheransforlife.org)