Sensationalism saturates our media and marks our culture as shock value seems to be the highest ideal of journalists. Every headline meant to grab attention elevates the bar until what used to make us cringe is now merely scrolled past like old news. Cinema and entertainment only adds to this barrage with fictional content that could easily be headline news. We may wonder at how this could happen when in fact it’s been creeping up on us for ages. We’ve been slowly desensitized to violence and disaster, dismissing it as inevitable when it should bring us to our knees.
“Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.”
Romans 6:19-21 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/rom.6.19-21.nlt
In their song, Hosanna, HillSong Worship says, “Break my heart for what breaks Yours.” The television no longer signs off before midnight as it did when I was a child. Rather than taking our news in daily doses like a bath, it’s as if we’re standing under a waterfall, constantly bombarded to the point that we’ve become numb to all we see and hear. Rather than interact with our neighbors, we’re content to watch their lives like so many episodes of reality tv on social media.
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
Galatians 1:10 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/gal.1.10.nlt
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
1 John 2:15-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.2.17.NLT
Even though my grandson, Thomas, is only a month old, he knows how to get his needs met. When he’s hungry, he cries out to get his mother’s attention. He keeps crying until his hunger pangs are satisfied.
“Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
Romans 8:20-22 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.22.NLT
We who know the Lord of heaven and earth know by Whom our needs are met. Peter encourages us to cry out to God for spiritual nourishment with the same fervor as a hungry infant.
“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.”
1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.2.2-3.NLT
Only then we are able to cry out on behalf of a lost and dying world with the heart of our Savior.
Lord Jesus,
The world as we see it now is not what it was meant to be but You are making all things new. We are alive here and now as integral parts of Your process, Your perfect will, steeped in purpose! The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to distract us, keeping our eyes focused inward on ourselves or scattered so far outwardly that we cannot see the next step You have for us to take today.
Give me eyes to see what breaks Your heart, Lord. If it is something in me that needs to be addressed, “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalms 139:24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.139.24.NLT
Help me to love my neighbor as myself today as You cause our paths to cross. In Your name I pray. Amen.
A Fitting Reply 