Let’s talk about pressing issues. What key topics are on the front burner of your life and our world today? What are the things that provoke or energize you, disturb or thrill you?
Many people would answer by naming topics like: *current geo-political events, and in particular the situation in Afghanistan; or *Covid-19 vaccines and case counts and mitigation strategies; or *sex and gender; or *race and racism; *or financial markets…
Every day there’s a rush of breaking news in these categories, so if such things are “pressing” to you, just stay tuned to CNN or Fox or the flood of commentary on social media and you’ll get your fix.
Of course, these matters are important; they are truly pressing issues for civilization in our times. What’s more, for followers of Jesus the news is an invitation to pray—and I urge you to call on God for a breakthrough of peace and justice in Afghanistan.
And yet, pressing as such issues are, you and I need to beware of being “eaten alive” by current events! Let me clarify: If Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, and if faith in Christ is the one way to be embraced by God forever (John 14:6), and if all people were made in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) to flourish in a relationship of trust and worship of the Lord, then we must make sure that our primary attention and energy in life is “Godward”: praise and trust, and living each day on assignment for His Majesty.
Just think, what are we saying to our Heavenly Father, and what are we showing a watching world, when we pour out our passion on all the trending topics but forget to make time to meditate on God’s Word and neglect to expend the energy to humbly pray? (I feel this pressure, so I’m “preaching” to myself here.) We’re saying that Jesus is marginal and politics is major; that Jesus is trivial and the hot button issues are what really matter. Friends, don’t let your life send such a profane message! Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus, walk in his steps, and honor him in all things!
