Our world is in great chaos on so many levels right now (political, biological, relational, financial, racial, etc.). Politicians are often expected to not only address all these problems, but to have solutions as well. Though these issues have been discussed for many years, it is very rare to find a current politician that has made an honest assessment of the broken world in which we live.
Yet, in the late 1960’s, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, a Burmese statesman and practicing Buddhist named U Thant, convened an international conference to try to discover a way to world peace and to help resolve the international conflicts of that day. Some 1600 delegates from 42 different countries assembled in the United Nation’s headquarters.
In his opening address, U Thant began by asking three remarkable questions: “What element is lacking so that with all our skill and all our knowledge we still find ourselves in the dark valley of discord and enmity? What is it that inhibits us from going forward together to enjoy the fruits of human endeavor and to reap the harvest of human experience? Why is it that, for all our professed ideals, our hopes and our skills, peace on earth is still a distant objective, seen only dimly through the storms and turmoil of our present difficulties?”
Here is an honest cry of frustration from the heart of an international statesman wrestling with the nature of humanity and the baffling course of human history. He would go on to suggest that what the world needed to do to change course…to establish peace and harmony… was to provide a strong secular education for all.
This of course, is an insufficient answer. We must look far deeper. However important a robust education might be, we will never understand the failings of human history or find healing for the corrupt nature of humanity if we do not humble ourselves before God and his word. The Bible opens our eyes to the truth of sin and evil, and calls us to surrender and cling to the only source of true peace…the only way of life and salvation… Jesus Christ and Him alone.
It is the word of God that cuts through the faulty ideals and false promises that humankind can heal and transform itself. It is the word of God that peels back the layer of this seen world and reveals an often unseen spiritual war waged by an adversary with spiritual forces of evil at his disposal. This battle effects every man, woman, and child on our planet.
This Sunday we will take a close look at this spiritual warfare. We will continue our series in Ephesians, focusing on 6:10-20. The Apostle Paul gives a stirring call to battle to awaken us from passivity into readiness and action. He tells us how we can lay hold of the great resources of Christ to defend ourselves against the attacks of the devil and advance the kingdom of God. We will take a close look at our mission, our enemy, and our strategy to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”. Please join us!
Once again, we can show our love for one another in our Sunday services. The County of Santa Clara continues to require that while indoors, regardless of vaccination status, we wear a mask. I’ve been so impressed by your willingness to show love during COVID regardless of your stance on the issues of the day.
We continue to offer three options for how you can join us this Sunday: you can join us in-person inside our worship center at 10:45am, you can join us in-person outdoors on the grass at 10:45am (masking is optional outdoors), and you can join us online live at 10:45am (https://valleychurch.org/v/sunday-worship-service/). You can also watch it afterward using the same link above.
Please join us for our All-Church Picnic on Sunday August 22 from 12pm-2pm on our church lawn. Bring your own lunch and chair. It will be a great time to connect with one another through games, fun, and fellowship. I hope to see you there!
In His service,
Andy Drake