By Tim Richards
If watching world news these days makes you nervous you are far from alone. It is also genuinely concerning for many powerful people. General David Petraeus expressed concern that the current war in the Middle East could get much worse. While I do not fully understand everything happening, it is clear the battle between Hamas and Israel is causing potentially dangerous divisions in our nation and the world.
In his October 23rd, The Daily Article, Dr. Jim Denison reported that former US Defense Secretary Bob Gates says our country is facing the most crises since World War II ended 78 years ago. Many experts believe the current emergency could get much worse. In an October 20, Axios News report, Mike Allen reported that five current global challenges are worrying our leaders:
1) The War in the Middle East
2) The growing cooperation between China and Russia
3) Iran’s support of numerous terrorist groups and Russia
4) The unstable leadership of North Korea
5) Fake videos showing leaders saying things they have not said
Many believe the most dangerous challenge is that these five threats could combine. If this happens we could well be on our way to a third world war. Concern has prompted the State Department to take the unusual step of issuing a “Worldwide Caution.” As if that is not enough, our current challenges are made more serious because our country is increasingly divided, our political parties do not trust one another and there is serious internal division in both parties.
Where can we turn when things appear hopeless on so many fronts? As I ask this question my mind goes to the opening words of a relevant passage in the Bible. “I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” (Psalm 121:1-2, NLT)
The psalmist wrote these words at a time when many believed there was a god of the mountains and another god of the valleys. So, when the writer looked up to the mountains and asked if his help came from there, he was acknowledging we need to look higher than the mountains, we must look to the God who created heaven and earth.
As I ponder the worldwide threats we are facing I am not minimizing the importance of our leaders, however, when things are a chaotic as they currently are, we need someone bigger than ourselves and our leaders to get us out of the mess we are in… we need God. Like the psalmist we need to recognize our help comes from the Lord.
During four decades as a pastor, Tim Richards has served five churches, three in rural Missouri and two in St. Louis. He may be reached by email at iamtimrichards@yahoo.com.
