Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 NIV
16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. 17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” 18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
How do you respond to those who act as if there is no God or final judgment?
There has been a push to silence You. There is a total disregard for You, for who You are, and what You say in Your Word. There is no gratitude for what You have given us. The result is that injustice and wickedness have invaded and impacted our schools, workplaces, and even places of justice and righteousness have been corrupted and defiled. There is abuse, brokenness, and even wickedness in churches, in families in government, in our role models and heroes. There is pride, greed, selfishness, anger, and hate. No one’s sins go unnoticed. The truth is You are always watching. In these times of testing, we get a display of our own ignorance, nature, and destiny apart from you. You are just. You are patient. You have Your purposes. You will judge in Your own time. Thank You, God, that You do not judge us in our time frame. I pray for patience to wait out Your timing. I have faith that You are good and just. I pray for revival that those who are lost will be found. I pray that You would revive our nation and set those in civil government free from pride, selfishness, and the lust for power. I pray that you would make us a Godly nation once again so that we can be a blessing to You and shine the light of Jesus to the whole world. You are who You say You are! You are the one who can fix everything, I just need to point people to You. Let revival start with me. Amen