Greed and envy

Before I begin, I just want to thank Countryside Baptist and Oak Park Baptist for covering this city with 24 hour prayer.

My recent labor of love is reading St. Augustine's "City of God," which was written after the sack of Rome by the Visigoths. I am still under the 200 page mark. The early part is Augustine's defense of the church against the charge that Rome was sacked as a punishment for leaving pagan idolatry.

Perhaps 100 years from now, this time will be remembered as the sack of America: spiraling debt, public and private, leading to economic collapse. At this time, some of us have sense enough to know it is coming. Wherever we end up, our current leaders are arguing over who is to blame for it. No one wants to accept responsibility for the possible collapse of civilization.

This is an excellent time to repent. The vast majority of Americans are to blame for what has happened. Rampant borrowing and demand for more and more goods and services at less cost came while we were less and less inclined to invest in prosperity by teaching and disciplining the young. The next generation will be less prepared to repair our country than we are willing to do it.

Instead of being angry because someone else has more than we do, or hoping that simply making more money will fix things, it is time to look within and accept that we are all a part of the lust for things that has caused our dissatisfaction and despair.

It is time for us to find our joy in God, because before long, it may be all we have.