Recently, Joy Behar and other ladies from ABC’s The View ridiculed Vice President Pence for saying he listened for the voice of the Lord before he speaks. Her comment was: “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness, if I’m not correct, hearing voices.”
Behar’s comment was not aimed at just the Vice President, it was aimed at all Christians who believe the Living Lord Christ Jesus still speaks to His beloved. Her comment was aimed at me, and at you.
As I read her comment I thought about how easy Christians have had it in the USA in the previous centuries. Our founding fathers understood that we could not have, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” without having freedom to worship our Lord without government interference. The First Amendment to our Constitution provides that freedom.
I think, however, that we began to take that freedom of worship for granted and began to be complacent in it. As society changed, and it has changed, the church put on blinders and only saw what she wanted to see. Now, maybe, for the first time, the freedom to worship Christ Jesus the LORD is in jeopardy.
Jesus warned us a long time ago: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [Matt 5:11-12 NIV]
When persecution and ridicule came our way because of our faith in Christ, we are blessed and will be rewarded. The reward comes to us later—in heaven. Perhaps the blessing that comes now is that we are awakened from our slumbering complacency into action to recall our society to its Judeo-Christian roots.
Father, may we awaken from our slumber and go out into our world with the truth of Your Word. Amen.
