If you’re like me, you are concerned about the state of our world. I wonder if what I feel about our world matches up with what I know about our world.
The reality is, we know far more about our world than any generation in history. Since 1993 when the World Wide Web became available to the public, the flow of information on the Internet has grown exponentially. Every tragedy, every disaster, every battle in every war, every moral failure, every immoral trend, everything that happened throughout history, but no one knew about . . . it is now seen every day online. Yes, positive stories are also reported—but bad news sells—and that’s often what we see.
When information transcends national and geographic borders and boundaries at the speed of light, everything is different. Nuclear weapons, biohazards, terrorism, warfare, and pandemics create uncertainty and fear in a global economy. Nations are subject to the actions of other nations as never before. An economic or political decision in one nation sends shock waves around the world. Everyone feels the tension in the global village because we realize we are all interconnected. The global picture is a reminder that Christ died for all of humanity and the needs of hurting people in the far corners of the world should be our concern as well. You only need to see one image of the hurting people in Ukraine to understand this reality.
The Bible tells us that as we get closer to the end of the age, life is going to become even more dramatic and dangerous on planet earth. Whether the end is near or still in the future, the events in the world today are a signpost for the future. This presents an urgent opportunity for us to share the Gospel—people need to hear about God’s plan of salvation—and the time is now.
The uncertainty in our world—both present and future—creates a sense of urgency in the average person. They wonder, what will happen next? In times like these, people look for answers, for help, for assurance, and for solutions. It’s a natural response. When life is comfortable and good, there is no motivation to change. The subconscious message people send to themselves is, “Maintain the status quo. What you’re doing is working. Why fix what’s not broken?” But when people perceive “the world” is broken, they immediately adopt a posture of urgency. The situation in our world today is causing people to look for answers.
The answer we have for people during times of stress is the same as during times of comfort. What changes during uncertain times is a willingness for people to listen to the answers we have from the Bible. And that means fresh opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a searching world. Biblically speaking, every day is a day for salvation (Luke 19:9; Acts 2:37-41). But we are at the crossroads of stress and relief, of questions and answers, of fear and confidence—and these crossroads tell us: Today is the day to reach the lost for Christ!
While witnessing for Christ at every opportunity is important, I want to urge you to take a “macro” view of this opportunity rather than a “micro” view. I want to encourage you to step back from the trees and look at the forest called opportunity; to become like the sons of Issachar “who had understanding of the times” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Now is the time to make our personal lives, our families and homes, our churches, and even our vocational settings a place where hope, encouragement, and biblical answers are readily available. Ask God to help you become more sensitive to those who are without hope—those who need to hear that God loves them unconditionally and has a glorious future available with Him.
Is the world worse than it has ever been? I don’t know for certain. Looking at the status of the world today, what I can say with certainty is that people are hurting and seeking answers. Those of us who know Christ as Savior have the assurance that God is sovereign and in control, and that even in the worst of times, we have peace and hope in Him. Current events are troubling, but they represent an opportunity to reach the lost—and to replace their despair of the present with the hope we have in Christ. The times are urgent, the opportunity is now! Today is the day to reach the world for Christ.
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David Jeremiah is the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church and the founder and host of Turning Point for God. For more information about David Jeremiah, visit www.DavidJeremiah.org.
