Serving the High Plains
Religion Columnist
It’s fair time again. Several counties have already had their fair and most of the rest will hold theirs this month with state and regional fairs to follow. Quay County’s Fair is next week. Hopefully, all the remaining fairs, including ours, will have “fair” weather.
Like the rain we’ve been enjoying, fair weather is a gift from God (Matthew 5:45; Job 26:13). The U.S.A. is blessed with many other gifts from God as well, including our vast natural resources, diversity of natural talent and technological advancement (James 1:17). The basis for county fairs are the talent to produce the best crops and livestock or to make the tastiest jams, jellies and other food items. Arts and crafts also are becoming popular at fairs.
Because we recognized that these blessings came from God, our country has enjoyed an as yet unmatched global greatness. America’s founding fathers knew their history – that it’s God who makes nations great or small based on their obedience to him (Job 12:23; Psalm 33:12). So the framers of the U.S. Constitution made sure that the free exercise of religion was included.
That being said, our greatness is waning, not because other nations are developing their natural, human and technological resources at a more rapid rate than we are, but because a large sector of the American population has forgotten (or never learned) that God is the historical source of our greatness (Hosea 4:6; Romans 1:18-32 – this passage has appeared in recent editions of the Quay County Sun).
God gives us signs to remind us of his love and the things that are ahead (Genesis 9:12-17; Matthew 16:2-3). Through his rainbow God reminds us that he won’t destroy the world with water again. This doesn’t mean that the world won’t be destroyed again; it will be destroyed, but by a different means at which time everyone will give an account of themselves to God (2 Peter 3:8-13; Matthew 25:31-33; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10).
Regarding red skies as a sign indicating future weather, Jesus accused/warned his listeners about the difference between forecasting the weather and recognizing the signs of impending problems. The signs of world history are before us. If we, as individual Americans, allow our country to continue down the path we’re currently following, our fate will be the same as that of every other great empire in history that God has built up and torn down because of their disobedience, including those who considered themselves a nation under God (Jeremiah 18:5-17; 1 Corinthians 10:1-12). Don’t misunderstand, things will still go fairly for us because God is the righteous judge, but we won’t fare so well (Romans 2:5-6).
We’re still a great nation and we’ve done a lot of good in the world. In fact, it could be argued that other nations wouldn’t have attained their current level of development without American help. But God won’t remember any of our greatness if we’re no longer good (Hebrews 6:7-12; Ezekiel 18:21-24).