Birth Pains

You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
(Psalms 60:2-3 NKJV)

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.... and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." (Matthew 24:6-8 ESV)

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present [exceeding] help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
(Psalms 46:1-3 NKJV, amplified)

Neither government bailouts nor "voting for change" are going to rescue our country from the brink of bankruptcy. Our nation's economic condition is merely a symptom of the much more serious moral bankruptcy over which we teeter.

Abortion, homosexuality and violence are abominable. So are pride, fullness of food, abundance of idleness, and failure to strengthen the world's poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49). While Christians may avoid condemnation, we are not innocent of these latter evils.

Each rumble in the world signals an ominous storm on the horizon. The bad news is we can expect the birth pains to get way, way worse. The good news is that birth pains do end, and result in great joy. A pregnant woman weary of her fullness welcomes the pain which will set her and her baby free.

How long, Oh Lord, until we reach fullness? When may we get down to the serious business of bringing to birth that for which Your creation has long waited? Even as we fear the pain, Lord, we grow weary in our waiting. Perfect Your work in us, that we might be ready for Your glorious appearing.

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Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy