The Gathering Storms?

It seems three major disasters are in the early stages of formation.

Extreme heat is again plaguing the midwestern states, while severe weather warnings are currently causing damage and deaths across north America. Climate warming appears to be well established, as the ice caps continue to melt, sea levels threaten coasts, and rivers overflow.

Whether human action or natural phenomena is the cause has yet to be proven, although it seems a growing voracious world population is probably a factor. What seems evident, is that the extreme weather conditions are here to stay, and will probably increase.

The second major problem is the debt crisis in Europe, which may easily become worldwide. Living off future earnings is always hazardous. The earnings may not materialize, or be exaggerated, and cause overspending and escalating debt beyond the ability to pay.

This is the living style of much of the west, not only individuals, but also governments. National populations are used to government services and handouts, and have shown unwillingness to forgo these in order to ease the crisis. Their actions will probably increase the problem.

Perhaps the greatest crisis facing the west, and likely to extend to developing countries, is the paganization of cultures. From a predominately Christian culture of several decades ago that produced the work ethic and sense of service, today’s culture is far more self-serving and assertive.

Canada’s multiculturalism is a major example of the fracturing of society by acceding to the demands of individual cultures and personal rights. It replaces an inclusive society that serves one another and ensures their legitimate aspirations and needs are met. The government should pay and provide that!

Spending all we have on ourselves is the basis of moral decay, for it opens the door to personal freedom to live as we please. And moral decay has been the cause of weakening of nations within and the downfall of empires throughout history.

It may be that climate change is nature’s backlash against the abuse of the earth’s resources. Debt is certainly a result of poor human management, individual and national. No one else is responsible for the collective poverty we may bring upon ourselves.

But the greatest threat to our well-being, even sanity, is the slide into moral relativism that plagues the western world. The demand for petty personal freedoms is a path to addictive bondage, that in turn, will hamper our ability to guard against the forces of evil—natural or spiritual—that desire to enslave us.

God has set the prime example of self-giving—as opposed to self-serving—by sacrificing His Son to release us from the bondage and guilt of sin. Why would we want to sell ourselves back into that slavery again?

And maybe, just maybe, if we turn and follow Christ’s example of life as service, even sacrifice, for others, the threats we face can be averted.