2/4/13

My pastor friend, Mark Atteberry, from Poinciana, FL tells about his 6-year-old granddaughter visiting in their home recently.  She talked about how she and her classmates have been trained in what to do “if a bad man gets into our school with a gun.”  He wrote:

First, let me say I am thankful for school administrators and teachers who take the safety of our children seriously.  I’m glad they’ve come up with a plan and have trained the children.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  What makes me sick is that we have a need for this sort of thing; that an innocent child, who should have nothing more on her mind than learning to read and not being ‘it’ during a game of tag at recess, has to worry about getting shot at school.  I’m tempted to say, “What is this world coming to?”  But then, we know what this world is coming to, don’t we?

This is why I am not a humanist.  Humanism says that humans are this world’s greatest hope, that eventually, given enough time and resources, we’ll figure out how to make this world work properly.  Yeah, right.  Never, ever has there been a bigger lie.  Humans have polluted or perverted everything they have touched from day one, which is why I shudder when I think of the large number of people today who are putting their faith in the government.  “Give us more laws!” they cry, as if a few more man-made laws will stem the swelling tide of depravity that is sweeping across our nation.  By some counts, there are over 10,000 federal laws on the books already, and that doesn’t include state laws.  Still, we have to teach our kids how to hide from killers when they go to school…

No thanks.  Humanism is not for me.  My faith is not in the government, academia, or the white coats in the laboratories.  I’m casting my lot with the Living, Loving God.  I agree with David, who said in Psalm 39:7, “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in You.”

Pray with me… Our God and Father, we identify with the disciples on the day that the crowds seemed to thin out after Jesus had impressed on them some hard teaching.  He asked his twelve if they also wanted to go away.  It was Peter who responded with the words that resonate with our own hearts when he said, “To whom shall we go Lord?  Only You have the words of eternal life.” And, with one voice we say the same.  In Jesus strong Name, amen.




Blessings,
Pastor Ken