If no one else loves you Jesus does
Warning! This article contains the name “Jesus” and might be offensive to some who read it.”
O.K., now that you have been warned, I will continue by asking the question, “What happened to America?” Where did we go wrong?
I remember starting the day in school by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and then saying the Lord’s Prayer. Then the principal would make some announcements and we’d get on with the activities of the day.
The biggest concern for any of us in those days was, what game are we going to play at recess. I loved dodge ball. I’ve always been a big guy and, boy could I throw a dodge ball pretty hard. The girls would cry and the boys would wince and usually, I always won the game. (We seldom played dodge ball though, because everyone got tired of getting hit.)
Anyway…in those days, kids could play and have fun and parents could parent and families were close. There wasn’t much time for TV because we had “Cowboys and Indians” to play and “Hide and Seek” and other things to do that kept us out till dark. Then homework and finally a few minutes of TV and then to bed. I’d give my dad a hug and a kiss and mom would always “tuck me in.” Those were the “good old days.”
Back to my original question, “What happened to America?” She has really changed from what many of us used to know. Times are tough. The economy is down, employment is down, morals are down, attitudes are down. People are down. They are down on life and down on each other. Not too many people smile anymore. Life comes at us fast.
Here’s a positive thought for you this week. “Jesus loves me this I know,for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.” Aren’t those encouraging words?
Jesus loves you. Think about it … Jesus (God’s Son) loves you. Whether anyone else loves you or not Jesus loves you. And we need to love Him too. We need to get back into the Bible and read it. Get back into church and support it. Get back into making a difference in our world and we can, with God’s help, see America become the “home of the free and the land of the brave” once again. Jesus loves you just like you are, but He loves you too much to leave you like that.
Pastor Thad Gifford is lead pastor of the Crossroads Community Church of Madison County, 62 E. Second St., London. He can be reached at (740) 852-7800, e-mail him at sermon8er@aol.com.
or at their website www.3c-church.org.
When you say “what many of us used to know”, you’re talking about people like you. Probably middle-class, white, grew up in a small town? No one is stopping ANYONE from praying in school. I used to lay down my head in homeroom and at lunch and pray (I graduated in the 2000s). In the most simple way I can think to explain…NOT EVERYONE IS A CHRISTIAN. Not everyone. Many people are. Not all. Some people are not even religious! And thus enters what makes America great: we’re all diverse! We’re different and that is exciting!
You speak of morals being down, but again, you refer to YOUR morals! If you truly believe everyone is frowning and sad about everything, you are not paying attention. Please pay attention!
Values change, countries change, EVERYTHING CHANGES–it is a fact of life, and a fantastic one. I am sick to death of seeing “I miss the good old days!” when you disavow the facts of the “good old days”–who were they good for? People like you (and ONLY people like you!)