| “…in God I trust and am not afraid.” |
| —Psalm 56:4b |
Most of us who live in the United States of America plod through our days with little concern that we will ever have to live in fear because of what we believe. This is true despite the fact that little warning signs are popping up around us that point to a day when we may well be persecuted for our beliefs. We only have to look to our neighbor to the north to see how the government there has significantly curtailed free speech in the name of protecting certain classes of people.
In our own country, many college campuses have become places where free speech is tightly controlled. Instead of serving as places where an open and unfettered exchange of ideas is welcomed, even encouraged, college campuses have closed their doors to people who hold viewpoints a vocal few do not want to hear.
Since the Millennials represent the largest generation of people born here since our nation began, and since they have become used to having their personal free speech curtailed in the name of preventing anyone from being offended, a severe limit on what we will be able to say looms on the horizon.
Added to this curtailment of free speech, more and more people who disagree with one another couch their disagreement in harsh, accusatory, even defamatory words. Such words harbor anger and hatred. Certain slogans have become cudgels that one side uses to beat the other side, in the hope of utterly destroying those who do not think the same thoughts.
If this social climate comes, how will we Christ’s-ones respond? The Psalmist offers these words in Psalm 56:4:
In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
No matter what our society will ultimately choose to do to those of us who belong to God through His Son, Jesus, we can face our future truly safe in His loving arms. With that in mind, let us boldly declare the mercy, grace, and love of God to those whom God prompts us to address. In a gentle, tender, and thoughtful way, we can share what God has done in our own lives. And, we can pray that God will send a great sweeping revival to our land.
Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 6, 2016
