Houston We Have A Problem

Isaiah 59:1,2  “Listen! The Lord is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf.  He can hear you when you call.  But there is a problem---”

“Houston we’ve had a problem here.”  Jack Swigert, Command Module Pilot on Apollo 13.  200,000 miles from home, Apollo 13 was in trouble and they needed help.  Their oxygen tank No. 2 had blown up, causing the No. 1 tank also to fail. The Apollo 13 command modules normal supply of electricity, light, and water was lost.  The ship was on a course to the moon, now the boys and girls back at Houston had to find a way to change direction and chart a course back toward the earth.  The ships navigation system wasn’t designed for this situation.  Houston came up with a procedure to use the sun as a navigational star.  It worked, the crew used the sun to align the ship on the right course and Houston was able to bring the crew safely home.

The Israelites were also in trouble, they needed help, they were heading in the wrong direction.  They were calling out to God to save them but they were receiving no answer.  Isaiah tells them why, “God can hear you when you call.  But there is a problem---your sins have cut you off from God.  Because of your sin, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.  Our sins are piled up before God and testify against us.  We have rebelled against the Lord.  We have turned our backs on God.  Truth falls dead in the streets, and fairness has been outlawed.  Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who tries to live a godly life is soon attacked.  It is because of this evil that deliverance is far from us.”  

We too cry out to God, “Oh Lord don’t you see what is going on?   Why don’t you help us?  Well my friends we’ve got a problem here.  We too have turned our backs on God, our sins testify against us.  Truth falls dead in our streets.  We as a nation have lost our direction.   We need to get back on the right course.  The navigation system we are using does not work it is taking us further and further away from God.

Our first president George Washington said this,  “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger. The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier, defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.”  --  “You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ.  These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.”

Jesus said,  “I am the bright morning star.”  Let’s again use Him as our navigational star and let God bring us safely back home.   Our world and our families are in danger, let us, “Endeavor to live and act as a Christian soldier defending our rights and liberties and to learn the religion of Jesus Christ.”