Looking Through Time
Those who belong to my generation did not experience what others witnessed and mourned together Sept. 11, 2001. I was born in 2002 in a post 9/11 world. The general carefree nature of the world before 2001 was unbeknownst to me — the reins were already tightened on airport protocol, building security and safety in general. The world became much more somber about foreign relations and politics. The attack on 9/11 would be the deadliest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
Now, disaster seems to have become commonplace in our political climate. I remember hearing about the Afghanistan War on the news early Saturday mornings as I came downstairs to my dad making breakfast. I remember the first widespread newscasting on climate change and Barack Obama being elected president. I also remember the terrorist attacks which would follow 9/11. The Boston Marathon bombings took place April 15, 2013, while I was sick with the flu. The San Bernardino attack was Dec. 2, 2015, when I was finishing my first semester of high school.
Increasing numbers of attacks came, not from another country or religion, but from Americans, in the name of racial justice. Taking place right in my backyard Aug. 12, 2017, was the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia stemming from protests of both left and right-wing individuals. Hatred and opposition on both sides led to a breeding ground for Satan to capitalize on. Christian love was cast aside in favor of putting down opposition at all costs.
Even in the past few years, things seem to have gotten out of hand in a way that was unfathomable just three or four years ago. The rise of transgenderism and even outright Satanic worship has become shocking. Yet, all these things are not entirely new. They have been a part of society throughout the ages as they are all rooted in sin.
Sin has been a part of the world since the fall and will continue to be a part of this world until Jesus returns. But why is it that things seem worse now than ever before? The ancient Greeks practiced homosexuality, and even pedophilia, as a normal and accepted aspect of society. Ancient pagan people groups practiced all sorts of magic, astrology and other forms of divination for generations, not to mention all sorts of sacrificing children to false gods. So, what makes these things different now? It is an important question to ask and the answer is found in scriptures.
God makes known his sovereignty over history countless times, including the history we are living right now. Ephesians 1:11 says, “in him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Paul is writing about God’s sovereign work in our lives most pointedly, but also about the purpose of God’s sovereign will in all things. All things truly means all things. The totality of God means his perfect and complete will in all aspects of life, including history, behavior and so forth. So, to answer to the question above; trust in God.
We can guess and speculate to our hearts’ content about what God is doing now in our history, but ultimately, we are not God. Things seem worse than they have been for centuries, and they may be. It seems as if the world has gone crazy. Half of the population can’t even identify what a woman is and, yes, that is a huge problem.
Yet, there is comfort to be found in this hectic chaos. God is in control and his will for history is perfect. Paul writes on this in Ephesians 1:7-10, “In all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” While we may not see or understand how the social and political climate of today is working to unite all things in God, we can rest in the steadfast promise straight from God that he’s using our history to unite all things in him.
Pace is the assistant feature editor for the Liberty Champion
