A Call to Repentance

Tomorrow is Thursday, November 20th and next week will be Thanksgiving. The following day will be what has become to be known as “Black Friday”, the first major shopping day of the Christmas season. This day was invented by retailers to “get out of the red and into the black”. In other words they get out of the negative and into the positive.

It seems ironic that a day which was created to be a day of reflecting on God’s goodness and being grateful for it, is followed by a day of “materialistic insanity”. Jesus said, “you can not love both God and money”. And in Matthew 6: 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”. And, “In the last days people will be lovers of money.”

Yet, on November 28th millions of Americans will flock in a frenzy to stores to spend money and gather “things” as an expression of love. It will be the biggest shopping day of the year, as Americans worship their god mammon. But the Bible tells us that the “love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” People will get up at the crack of dawn and wait on lines for hours to get the best bargains. Yet why do we think that buying gifts should be as important to us as it is? This has nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas! We are being controlled by Madison Avenue and professional marketers.

I deliver newspapers in our area every morning and it is amazing how many people go crazy over coupons. Everyone is trying to get a deal. Yet, our money still says “In God we Trust”, but we have to wonder if this is still true. Are our priorities misplaced? Have we lost our first love? The first commandment is “love the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength.”

Is there anyone who doubts that our nation has been and continues to be going in the wrong direction for quite some time? Yet, the Bible also gives us the solution to this: “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”

I suggest that all Americans boycott “Black Friday”, and spend the day in repentance and fasting and prayer. If we turn back to God, he will turn back to us!