A Reflection of 9 Hours in London

One week ago today, we got the chance to spend 9 hours in a city that many people only dream of going to--London, England. Our 9 hours were fantastic. We were able to see some of the premier sites that London is famous for, Buckingham Palace right at the time of the changing of the guard, Big Ben, and Westminster Chapel. We saw the places where numerous films have been shot; the sites and sounds were so vivid in these picturesque locations that we could easily relive many of those movies which we have seen throughout the years.

Many of these historical centerpieces directed my thoughts to a nation from which countless Christians have called home. People who were willing to give up everything so that others could know the truth of Jesus Christ. Men and women who stood for Christ no matter the cost. People who died for their faith, and others who had to do something even more difficult--they had to LIVE for their faith; they had to love the unloveable, face rejection from friends and family members just because they were a Christian; and they had to persist when they felt like giving up.

Jesus said in Revelation 3:5, "He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments (a sign of purity instead of the filthy garments which our sins deserve); and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and His angels.

Those were the thoughts which ran through my mind for the majority of the time that we were in London. But then while I was buying a juice in a store at the London airport all those thoughts instantly melted away as I took one look at the British currency which  I was using to pay for my juice. On the one side was the picture of the Queen of England (as one would expect) but on the other side was the picture of Charles Darwin!

In Revelation 2:5 Jesus says, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lamp-stand (the church) out of its place--unless you repent." This is what has happened to a large extent in not just England but much of  Europe; and now unfortunately, it is even in the USA.

The only question that remands for us regarding this reflection of 9 hours in London is our response, because unless the church in the USA heeds this warning the church here for the most part will be just like the majority of the church in London--spiritually DEAD, so much so that our currency will reflect it as well.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:6)

"O Lord, may it never be! Open our eyes to see the need of our generation, and grant us the strength to endure when so many are giving up to the ways of this world because it is 'IN [You], GOD [that] WE TRUST.'"