Zions Lament
On the previous page I stated that Jeremiah's description of Zion in his day is an accurate description of the church in North America today. The statement which I believe sums it up is "from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed ....". In the book of Acts we see a church that is glorious and beautiful - a radiant bride - pure, spotless and holy. It was a church that the gates of hell did not prevail against. It was a bastion of holiness and righteousness in the midst of "a wicked and perverse generation". As a result, it was a persecuted church.
But not today - at least not in North America. The church in other parts of the world is persecuted but not here. Why? Jesus said that in the world we would have persecution. This is the lot of the church. This is the norm. Scripture says "All that live godly shall suffer persecution". This is an unequivocal and all encompassing statement. "ALL that live godly, SHALL suffer persecution." If that statement is true (and we know that it is), then the corollary is also true: Those that are not suffering persecution are not living godly. We need to face this. The fact that the church is accepted and not persecuted is foolproof evidence that we are not really living GODLY lives.
The only answer then is to repent. First though, we must face our true condition. My fear is that we are unwilling to do so. We won't accept the evidence that is against us. We are like the Laodicean church which thought it was rich and had "need of nothing" but the Holy Spirit declared that it's true condition was that it was "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
The first step to recovery is to acknowledge our true condition. We DONT have what the early church had. God is NOT pleased to confirm the word that we are preaching "with signs following", and rather then face the fact that the lack of miracles is evidence that God has withdrawn his presence from us we do one of two things: Either we decide that the age of miracles is over or we produce our own spurious, counterfeit miracles which, instead of bringing glory to God, cause Him to be mocked by sinners more than ever.
We have developed methods and programs whereby we have deceived ourselves into thinking that we are accomplishing something, but the reality is that, without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. All of our activity simply covers up and masks the fact that we are destitute of true riches. The early church was not rich in monetary and other resources. It had need of only one resource - the Holy Spirit. Peter could say "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee." Can we say that? We have so much, but we lack the one thing that is needful.
Our state is desperate. It is impossible to overstate the desperateness of our case.If we do not come to our senses soon, and, like the prodigal son, return in humility to our Father, we will seal our fate. "If the salt has lost it's savour", Jesus said, "It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men". It seems this is already the case. We are more and more becoming "good for nothing". We have been powerless to stem the flood of immorality, violence and injustice that has engulfed this country. More and more we are trodden under the feet of men. Society as a whole is not persecuting the church, it is ignoring it and thumbing its nose at it. Even our justice system remains largely unmoved by our feeble petitions to keep prayer in the schools and to stop abortion. Where is the power that once "turned the world upside down".
Oh that we would repent before it is to late! Is God saying to us as he did to Israel of old "Return, faithless Israel declares the LORD, I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful declares the Lord,I will not be angry for ever." (Jeremiah 3:12). Is it possible that, in spite of our terrible condition, God still entreats us to return to him. Consider the Laodicean church for a moment. The word of the Holy Spirit to them was severe and yet He said "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." - and this promise follows - "if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
Is this not the very thing what we need - God himself in our midst? God has withdrawn his presence and as a result we are powerless, but to the one who responds to his voice, the promise is "I will come into him ..." May we acknowledge our true state. May we return to our Redeemer in humility and repentance before it is too late. if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. The presence of God in our midst; that is all we need, nothing else. If God is in our midst, sinners will be converted, those in bondage will be delivered, the powers of Satan will be driven back and the Church of Jesus Christ in this continent will be glorious once again.