THE END OF A DECADE
Ten years ago we were anticipating the beginning of a new century and all kinds of hopes and promises filled most people’s hearts. But at the end of the first decade many of those hopes have been lost and too many of the promises have been shattered. Some magazines have been asking readers to say what they think are the most significant events of the last decade. There are a great number to choose from.
I imagine that most people would put 9/11 and the destruction of the twin towers at the top of their list. The terrorist outrage which killed so many changed the whole atmosphere in the world. Other terrorist atrocities followed - 7/7 in London would stand out for many of us. But so also do the terrible events in Bali and India. Then there have been the large number of hostage takings and some appallingly cruel televised ritual murders shown on the internet (the terrorists justified their wickedness by calling them executions).
The world-wide financial collapse and the recession would also feature very highly on most lists. The tragedy of this has been the way Bankers have been made the scapegoats and Governments who encouraged and stimulated the greed that caused the collapse have self-righteously ignored their own primary culpability. That does not excuse the arrogance and ineptitude of the Banks and their avaricious employees. But not all bankers are guilty and it is still an honourable profession. The leaders of the nations cannot be so easily excused. The unemployed, and small businessmen who have been destroyed by bad government, are those for whom the most pity and concern should be shown. Part of the failure of governments around the world is the inadequate response they have made to those they have harmed.
Global warming has become a major issue in the thinking of multitudes of people around the world. The arguments about whether it is a real phenomenon will continue, and the confident assertions of some scientists that it is indisputable demonstrate either that they are not thinking as scientists, or that they have adopted the ancient approach of sounding confident to hide uncertainties. Of course, all of that debate does not hide the fact of pollution and its damaging effects. But again greed and power are ultimately more important to the leaders of our world than acknowledging our errors and making the sacrifices necessary to put things right. Copenhagen has shown us the reality of these tragic values.
A fourth issue that would feature in most
people’s list of significant events must be the wars that have raged
through this last decade. Iraq and Afghanistan have seen so many
deaths and British young men and women have been a part of that
carnage. Wooten Bassett has become a national symbol of sadness and
respect because of these awful events. Alongside those terrible
conflicts we must put the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian disputes and
the terrible bloodshed in the Congo. In addition we have seen the
assassinations of leaders in unstable countries like Pakistan. And
the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan has not yet found any
lasting resolution. In all of these and many other conflicts we see
just how facile Prime Minister Tony Blair’s claim that “if we work
together we can solve the world’s problems” really was. World peace
remains a remote prospect, even despite President Obama’s brilliant
rhetoric.
The behaviour of politicians has also been sad and disillusioning.
Their standing in the nation has rightly been diminished. But surely
it is not only in the matter of financial rectitude that most of our
politicians have been found wanting. Is not their worst conduct seen
in the approval of laws that have enshrined ungodliness in the
nation, promoted moral decadence and removed many of the freedoms
for which our forefathers fought?
The list of events could go on. And most of them would be negative
and sad - Zimbabwe, Darfur, the Tsunami, Madeleine McCann, the
school murders in Virginia Tech and other places of education and
you can add so many more.
The decade has also seen the growth of the
Internet with Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube and eBay. Almost
everyone carries a mobile phone now and all kinds of other technical
innovations abound. These are mixed blessings, but on the whole we
must see these as positive advances in technology that can enable
easier and more rapid communication. Tragically they are being
exploited most by those with unrighteous intentions.
But the biggest change in Britain during this last decade is also
the saddest. Whether you see it in terms of the rise of militant
Atheism or the decline and confusion of the visible Church, the sad
fact is that we have become a more godless and decadent society.
Despite some of the hype by some church groups we have to say that
in many places the Evangelical Church is found to be more worldly
and pragmatic than it has been for centuries. Praise God that in
other parts of the world the past decade has seen the advance of the
Gospel and the growth of godliness and Biblically-based living. It
has been the African Church that has stood for righteousness while
British Churches and those in the affluent world have been
compromised and compromising.
In short the summing up of this decade cannot be one of cheerfulness and hope. The positive atmosphere of ten years ago has been blown away and hopes and promises have disappeared. God has been left out of all the issues that have affected the world, and in our own nation the Church has been found tragically wanting. How then shall we respond? Surely there is only one way. God must come to us. Praise God He has promised to do so if we conduct ourselves aright. He may come in revival flames, or He may come in that quiet and personal reassurance. But He will come to those who seek Him. Therefore, there must be repentance and earnest seeking of God in prayer, and renewed zeal in preaching and proclaiming Christ to the world around us. Our clever methods and skilful organisation will not answer the need of the hour. God Himself must come. And He will not come if we deliberately pursue and justify anything that is less than detailed adherence to the ways He has set down in the Bible. ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice’ said the Lord, and the call to us for 2010 is to pursue obedience with all our hearts.