"america At The Crossroads: Blessings, Curses, And The Call To Return"

Not too many weeks ago was a day I don’t think any of us anticipated. The brutal assassination of Charlie Kirk struck a chord in me that I didn’t even realize existed. I became so angry, so fed up with the direction of our country, I just wanted to strike out against the people who hold the far-left ideologies so prevalent in America today.

But the very next day, my nephew posted a Scripture on Facebook that stopped me cold—Matthew 5:43-44. Jesus spoke these words:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

(Matthew 5:43-44, ESV)

And almost immediately, I was convicted in my heart—convicted of my thoughts, of my anger, of my desire for vengeance. I asked God to forgive me.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, I read another passage—Romans 12:19:

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’”

(Romans 12:19; quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, ESV)

Now, let me be perfectly clear: the assassin should absolutely face the justice demanded for his actions. But as I’ve said before, I don’t hate anyone enough to want them to spend eternity in hell. I believe Charlie would want us to pray for this assassin's salvation and to show him the love Christ has for all of us sinners.

But in the wake of all this, a far deeper question haunted me: How did our country—the greatest country ever to exist—get into the mess we’re in today?

I think we can look to the words found in Deuteronomy 28 for the answer.

We won’t cover the entire chapter here—it’s 68 verses long—but I encourage each of you to read it at home, to read it together as a family. Ask God through the Holy Spirit to show you where you and your family might need to work to improve your standing before our Holy God.

Let’s look at just a portion of it—Deuteronomy 28:1-14, spoken by Moses to the people of Israel:

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”

(Deuteronomy 28:1-6, ESV)

God’s promised blessings for keeping His covenant were spectacular. He would bring prosperity to every area of life—abundance in the city and in the field, in crops and children, in business and in battle. Israel would be exalted above all the nations, and the blessings would not just trickle in—they would overtake them.

It continues:

“The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. The LORD will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.”

(Deuteronomy 28:7-9, ESV)

God’s vision for His people was that their obedience would bring blessings so abundant, the nations would stand in awe. He says:

“And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you... The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God.”

(Deuteronomy 28:10-13, ESV)

Notice, too, the economic promise— “You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” God would make them the lender, not the debtor—the head, not the tail.