God is the Solution
By Eugene Seah, Singapore
In the book Somebody’s Child by John Robinson, it highlights the need for God’s Word to be shared to the youth in some of Manchester’s tough estates. Coming from Asia, I have always had the impression that Christianity in the western world would be the way of life. However, this book made me recognize this misconception. In dealing with the youth gangs in these estates, police patrol was increased. However, one stark reality remains. Increased police patrol could only deal with the problem superficially; God is the only lasting solution.
Similarly, governments can come up with gun control legislation after legislation, but mere laws of the land will not extinguish hatred and violence. Only our God Jesus Christ, His Word and His abundant love can.
In another book A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah that I’m halfway through, it tells the scary atrocities the author witnessed as a child in a bloody civil war and did as a former child soldier in Sierra Leone. The brutal mental and physical tortures these children are put through and the deep scars it left behind made my heart heavy. These children were drugged, coerced, and made to be tools of war as young as the age of 7.
What is the solution? Can removing corruption, violence, or political change save them? I realized ONLY GOD can bring about their salvation.
So, we place our hope not in man, but in God.
“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.” —Psalm 127:1-2
“Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” —Psalm 25: 4-5
Knowing that God is the only solution to the problems of men, what shall we do? We need to share His love with the youth and children now, so that his or her future will be secured in God’s hands.
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Hi Eugene..
its true that the war in Sierra Leone has left many young lives scarred for life..many young boys and girls were made into child soldiers.. the good news is that there is an on going effort to rehabilitate these kids..
one only need see the images that come out of the art therapy sessions these kids attend.. the mind has ways of reminding kids just how not out of the woods they are even though the fighting is over.. the battle for their hearts and minds has only just began..
scripture tells us that the mind is a battle field.. every war fought is first won or lost in the mind.. a double minded man is unstable in all his ways..
who can blame this kinds for being double minded?? one foot on the battle field.. the other.. in the art room.. who is to say how long it will take to clear the mine field and booby traps their captors set in their minds..
a group of ex child soldiers has formed a league of one legged footballers.. the joy they have while in training and during their tournaments is just but a tip on the ice berg.. but at least their titanic is still afloat..
Paul too was caught up in a ship wreck.. Paul told the men they should eat, because they had been fasting for fourteen days and needed to eat to stay healthy. He then took some bread and thanked God in front of everyone, broke the bread and started to eat. Then the men began to be cheerful and eat…
Paul had been taken as a prisoner and was being brought by ship to Rome, to appear before Caesar.
Winter was coming, and sailing was dangerous.
Paul warned the Captain and crew of the ship saying,
“Sirs, this journey will be dangerous and cause much hurt, not only to the ship and cargo, but also to our lives.”
The owner of the ship was still hoping to set sail and tried to persuade the Centurion to continue on to Rome.
The Centurion decided to ignore what Paul had to say.
- “The ship master must know best.” – The Centurioun thought to himself. -
notice that Paul understood that the weather was going to be rough on the ship.. But an angel of the Lord came to him and assured him that he would reach his destination.. and none of the crew members would be lost..
would Paul have been justified if he had he chosen to keep the angel’s report to himself and leave the Romans high n dry?? no..
For God is interested in lives. It is an act of selfishness to let the Lord build the house and still claim as a Christan to be God’s co-labourers..
there arose a dispute in the church.. folks had been divided.. some now followed Paul.. the other group.. Barnabas.. what was the beef?? who between the two was the real leader of the Evangelical Movement..
Paul got wind of this and decided to reap the wind before the whirlwind tore down the Lord’s house.. Paul was a simple man really.. and conflict resolution was his forte..
listen to this simple arbitration.. “Paul plants.. Barnabas waters.. the Holy Ghost sustain”.. would it have been better for Paul to claim lordship over Barnabas and still allow him to remain the Son of Encouragement??
would it still have been better for Barnabas to claim lordship over Paul by virtue of being the only one who risked bringing him back from exile.. and still allow him to be The Voice of the Gentile Nations??
so.. when God created the earth.. for what reason did he have to create man.. if he is the only one who can sustain the earth?? for what reason did God give man the power of pro-creation if he alone made man out of the dirt ground??
scripture says that before man was made. the earth had no life.. because had there been any life before man.. who would have taken care of God’s creation?? was not man given authority over snakes and scorpions??
so what then shall we say when we abdicate our role as brother’s keeper to God and still claim dominion over all life form??
did not God place a curse on Cain for not being his brother’s keeper??
lets not claim to be co-heirs with Christ if were prepared to pull the cart before the horse.. God forbid that we claim the Sabbath rest if were prepared to let him do all the donkey work!!
he who does no work.. let him not also eat at the Lord’s table.. nor ask for his daily bread.. nor ask for rest while no sweat from the brow can be traced..