Nation

​Once upon a time a young man, Foye, crossed the ocean to explore Vacuities the world’s most powerful nation.  Everywhere he went he met a myriad of people moving from city to city, looking for meaning.  Inside a harbor graced by a noble statue, he first encountered the City of Results. But for all the accomplishments the city boasted he constantly met people disappointed that their goals brought no lasting satisfaction.  It was like they worked and worked, but for what?  Traveling inland, he spent time in the City of Retirement—a most sought after destination. Yet, here he discovered that there was little to live for among those entranced with ease, so most just died.  

Foye traveled south through Tri-Gormandy and met a large number of sick people.  Citizens feasted on whatever their senses desired but the seeds of euphoria bore unhealthy fruit; dullness filled the pupils of millions.  Nearby Fop City hopped with hype.  The people there set the nation’s clothing trends and every person was fad-aware.  But outlandish became tiresome. Purple-spiked hair, tattoos laced with piercings and low-hung pants soon evoked yawns.  It was no different in Treasure City.  Men and women accumulated great wealth and filled vaults with paper and gold.  They bought whatever would make life better then sat and moped over the meaningless of more.  

In a vibrant coastal region, Foye met boisterous, conniving rebels who invited him to Obliquity, their city of choice.  He was astounded by brash women and sleazy men who challenged the rules of morality to justify their immorality.  Any who opposed them were called hateful and discriminatory but when indecent was decent they remained miserable.  He left the city hastily, unnerved by the lust-filled eyes of men watching him.  Unfortunately, he found their cousins in the City of Catachresis.  These people rewrote history and changed the meaning of words to accomplish their own ends.  They decried discrimination and touted toleration but jailed, impoverished and reviled any whose views questioned their own.  For people so enlightened, Foye could not help but notice that their fixation for fixing was a bitter brew.   

In the mountainous regions, Foye entered the City of Hegemony—impressive for its orderliness and magnificent walls.  Vacuities’ most powerful and protected urban place boasted a strong guard and conservative population.  Their radio champions tore apart the fallacious thinking and absurd actions of Vacuities’ lost liberals.  They could see no fault in themselves.  Yet, when their heroes ruled, problems still abounded and discontent was the topic of choice.    

Finally, near the end of his westward journey, Foye visited Feral City.  Wild creatures roamed the streets and those unfortunate enough to be attacked were simply buried and forgotten by residents in love with nature and determined to lower man to an equal footing.  It was as if by hating themselves and embracing mother earth they could feel better. Foye followed a footpath from Feral to a hill overlooking the ocean.  Weary from his travels and burdened by a nation so full yet so empty, he leaned against a towering cedar.  His arm rested upon what he thought was a rock.  But as he brushed the needles from its surface he saw instead that it was an ancient plaque mounted to a granite stone.  Against the dimming light of a sun sinking below the horizon he read: 
 
Meditation
Psalm 19:1-4--The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge.There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.  
 
Before he fell asleep, he wondered aloud, “When did they stop listening?”  
 
Inspiration
We talk about a Christian nation—there never has been such a thing.  There are Christians in the nations, but not Christian nations.—Oswald Chambers in The Love of God
 
©2004 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)