The German weekly news magazine "Der Spiegel" recently declared the first decade of the 21st century as "the lost decade." The writers of this article came to this dreary conclusion based on the effects of four worldwide crises: the war on terrorism as a result of the 9/11 attacks; the economic downturn; global warming; and people's loss of confidence in politics, in the democratic system in particular.

I am not going to summarize this article. (Although it is worth reading. You can find it in its English translation at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,668729,00.html.) The reason I mention this article has to do with a sobering, a depressing sentence from author Philipp Blom (The Vertigo Years, about the years between 1900 and 1914). Blom is quoted as saying, "We don't want a future, we want a present that does not end." And he adds, "It isn't as if this present were so attractive. It's just that people are worried things could get even worse."

I don't know if Blom's assessment of the present and the weariness of the future times also reflect your feelings. In fact, the four crises of the past ten years are nothing new. To a certain degree these crises result from exploiting our neighbor and/or our environment for our own benefits. Or, to put it differently, these crises also occur when we place more trust and hope in material gains and profits than in spiritual matters. There is plenty of evidence for this throughout history, and in Scripture.

The Prophet Amos (9th century BC) preached, to say it with a biblical scholar, "harsh words in a smooth season." In this "evil time" (Amos 5:13), the prophet addressed the economic oppression of the poor (Amos 5:8-12), grave injustices through the powerful leaders (Amos 8:4-6), and shallow piety with its meaningless worship (Amos 5:21-23). Into the people's false sense of security, Amos announced impending doom, a time of terror, famine, and exile.

There are some parallels between the days of Amos and our own times. In the days of Amos, people enjoyed living in materialistic splendor. So do we - but do we even recognize it? The desire for more wealth and prestige can obscure a person's integrity and distort one's spiritual priorities. But once severe crises strike, the mood changes to the point that the world around us might exhibit despair in a timid today and live without hope or the prospect of a brighter tomorrow.

The beginning season of Lent offers us a refreshing contrast. In the Gospel text for Ash Wednesday (February 17), Jesus talks about the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving (Matthew 6). Lent is an invitation to re-consider the depths of our spiritual foundation. As we admit our need for forgiveness and salvation, we are invited to renew our relationship with God and to put our trust in him. As Jesus "set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51) - where he would die on the cross - we are invited to regard the cross as a means of hope and new life. And as we learn "to listen to [Jesus]" (Luke 9:35), we are invited to grow in our discipleship as members of his Church.

Finally, in our mid-week Lenten studies, I invite you to reflect on the seven signs of the Church, which Martin Luther identified as: (1) Word, (2) Baptism, (3) Communion, (4) Forgiveness of Sin, (5) the Office of the Ministry, (6) Worship, and (7) the Cross.

By being a part of the Church and by belonging to Christ, we can live today with confidence (literally: with faith) and anticipate a glorious future. Any time that lives in and breathes the presence of God cannot be a lost time.

Yours in Christ's Jesus,
Bjoern E. Meinhardt, Pastor