Every news cycle (i.e. about 24 hours) brings another illustration of how that which is worthless is celebrated by humans. (Since it’s not college football season yet I can assure you that football wins by the college team of your choice is important and significant in some historical way.) Sports teams win and news coverage is extensive. Financial markets change and the news cycle thrives. Politicians make brilliant or not-so-brilliant statements, and the news cycle parses every word. Just this afternoon I received a news bulletin regarding an earthquake in the San Francisco, CA area. Shortly after that news another story regarding action the US House of Representatives took on prominence. I wonder what the next hour might bring?
Reading one day’s worth of news stories often reinforces the Psalmist’s plea in Psalm 12:1: “Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race.” The daily news by its very definition seeks to be sensational, provocative, and eye-catching. Loyalty, faithfulness are typically not eye-catching or provocative terms.
The psalmist responded by praying – “Help!” Too often our response to the rapidly changing news cycle is to complain, to criticize, to communicate our response. But prayer? Seriously?
Praying as a response reminds us that as self-important as we think we are, this world does not belong to us. In prayer, we acknowledge that what matters most is not what we think or say. In prayer, we are reminded that God’s Words are the only words that matter. His promise, expressed in His written word, is our best response to the celebration of worthlessness, that which is morally filthy.
WINSTON COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH 