What’s really corroding America?

“you shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)

Everyone has an opinion about what is wrong with America.  I think we do that because we have inherited in our sin nature a capacity to place blame somewhere.  So now America is in a mess, and we are scrambling to put the cause for our downfall squarely on the shoulders of someone or something.  It’s the fault of politicians.  It’s the fault of the government.  It’s the fault of the courts.  It’s the fault of education.  It’s the fault of sin.
 
Now while I am not a happy camper with what I see in our politicians, or the government, or the courts, or our esteemed halls of education; I do not place the blame for what we are seeing in America on any of those institutions.  Nor do I, and this might surprise you, place the blame on sin.  I believe God can handle sin, thank-you.  He sent his Son to die for it, and any sinner who repents and places their faith in Jesus Christ has all his or her sin abolished.  No, I firmly believe God can and does handle sin quite well.
 
So where does our problem in America lie?  What is really corroding America?  If we would like to know the answer to that question, we must first look back upon the history of Israel.  God delivered the Hebrews from bondage and brought them into their own promised land.  Only a God of grace and love would do that.  And when he did, one of the first things God instructed the Hebrews to do was set up a place so he could dwell among them.  That place was called The Tabernacle.  It was a tent where the people would worship, make sacrifices for their sins, and humble themselves before their God.  But still the northern tribes of Israel ended up in captivity at the hands of the Assyrians, and the southern tribes fell into the hands of Babylon.  Why such judgment?  Why did Israel go into captivity if they had God in their midst, and what must America learn from it?  The truth is that what brought judgment upon Israel is what is bringing judgment upon America.  What corroded Israel is what is corroding America.
 
I remember in 1962 when prayer was legally removed from public schools.  I remember the Roe verses Wade decision of 1973, which legalized the slaughter of babies in the womb – and it was labeled “abortion.”  I remember as a child what were called “The Blue Laws.”  Those laws restricted Sunday activities and sales so that people would focus on worshiping God.  They were repealed in 1985 because it was said they violated the separation of church and state.  I remember in 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalized – and it was labeled “an alternate lifestyle.”  Following the tragic events of 9/11, in 2012 the President of the United States visited Ground Zero.  There he was presented with a beam that was to be placed at the top of the new World Trade Center that was to be erected.  The President inscribed three declarations on that beam.  The first was, “We remember.”  The second, “We rebuild.”  And the third, “We come back stronger.”  Now you might think, what’s wrong with that?”  What is wrong is that those statements voice a faith in what self and the human spirit can and will do; yet omit any mention of a need for God and his help.
 
What is corroding America?  America has, just like Israel, pushed God out.  We have pushed him out of our government, our schools, our homes, and yes sadly, even our churches.  When Israel pushed God out, they began worshipping other gods.  THIS is what has happened to America.  THIS is what is corroding America.  Unless we allow God to dwell in our midst once again, our nation will continue this downward spiral.  Because you see, when God is pushed out, everything and anything becomes God! 
 
                                                                                Darlene