"This might be bad now," we seem to hear from our current and future leaders, "but we can retool and create something even better."
Really?
I'm not saying that it CAN'T be done, but in order for them to be READY to do it, don't responsible parties have to at least accept responsibility and honestly admit that (a) there was/is a problem, (b) this is how the problem was created, and(c) this is how the problem is being perpetuated?
Instead we have a bunch of blustery self-righteous lawmakers scolding private sector people (like the auto industry exec's) for not recognizing problems in their industry that lawmakers should have recognized when similar things were happening under their purviews!
There is no admission of guilt, there is no acceptance of "Yes, this is what we have done wrong," there is no declaration that it was perpetuated one way or another by the system. There are no resignations, and there seems to be no justice.
In Isaiah 9, after the great prophecy about the birth of the One who we call Wonderful, the Lord states reason for His anger against Israel.
The Lord has sent a message against Jacob...all the people will know it... who say with pride and arrogance of heart, "The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been feeled, but we will replace them with cedars." (9:8-10)
In chapter 10, God declares His anger against those who seek their own riches while unjustly keeping the poor down. He promises destruction at the hands of Assyria for those who have turned against His law. Then God describes a small portion of Israel who will be kept through this time of judgement (10:20-22).
In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down (you know, the ones who said they would rebuild with better stuff?) but will truly rely on the Lord, the holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to Mighty God.
(parantheses mine)
Wouldn't it be amazing if the people responsible for our economic turmoil acutally admitted their responsibility instead of trying to shift the blame? Wouldn't it be incredible if there was repentance on Capitol Hill, Wall Street, and Main Street? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could put down our pride, self-reliance and/or reliance on other humans and human institutions and came to rely on Mighty God?
Is God calling us to do that? Could that be part of the economic problems we're facing? To realize that even well-intentioned people are just people and money is just money and I am just me - a person - and God alone is God? To put our emphasis where it belongs, to put less value in things that are rapidly losing value and treasuring what lasts for eternity?
May we be part of the small portion of God's people who return to Might God, and who will rely on Him.
