One of the great blessings – as well as one of the great sorrows – that has occurred in these last few years is the realization that humanity is exactly as spoken of in the Bible: fallen. Therefore, likewise, this beautiful planet, created by our Heavenly Father, is corrupt. Even though we read this truth in the Word, most of us could not see this before. It seemed inconceivable.

But the last few years have shaken us awake. The scales have fallen from our eyes, and we are left with the stark reality: the whole world does indeed lie in the grip of the evil one. After we recover from the sadness that we are, actually, not going to reform “the world” we are left with the other alternative – also provided by the Bible: God’s solution of setting our eyes on things above where our life is hid with Christ (Colossians 3:3).

Now, this may seem like a compromise or even skirting the problems right at hand, but it is not sidestepping the problems right before our eyes if it is directing us to God’s perfect will for us.

Our problem is that we have been aiming at the wrong target. We are begging God to change His mind into helping us reform something He says He is going to do away with – and replace. He is giving us a new heaven and a new Earth. We, likewise, want all of mankind, whom, we all agree, is a marvelous creation, to be part of the Kingdom of God, but our Father only wants His Family filled with those who actually want to be in His family. Some of His humans do not want to be in that family. Therefore, our gracious God, allows them what they want.

As painful as these last few years have been, still, it seems we have needed the shocking clarity they have provided.

Dear children of the Living God, we need to be following our Father’s guidelines – not creating standards, which we feel will fulfill our own idea of righteousness. We need to accept God’s evaluations and timetables rather than believe mankind is going to change and reform this world into some heaven on earth.

Is this troubling? Quite the opposite. When we stop making up our own rules, we will be: “Free at last. Free at last. Great God Almighty, we are free at last.”

We are not having our open prayer meetings at the moment.