2003-that is when the song by the black eyed peas became number 1 in the UK, I was watching 'number 1's in the noughties' during the festive season and this is what came on-2003-that seems like a ridiculously long time ago-it reminds me of when I was in uni making up dance routines to this song as it played on repeat in the background of the gym (you heard...dance...don't worry, we found out the class was voluntary and we didn't go back-who has voluntary class anyways?!)
Where is the love? Great song and in every great lyric, there is a songwriter trying to portray what they believe to be true from the experiences around them! And I think we all agreed, didn't we, when they sang the line-'we only got-one world, and somethings wrong with it (yeah), somethings wrong with it (yeah), somethings wrong with the wo-wo-wo-world!'
Turn on the news, listen to the local gossip about the atrocities that have happened where you live, take a look at the history books! I totally agree with the black eyed peas that something's wrong with the world. I'm sure you would agree as well.
The only difference I imagine is in the solution! You see the bible agrees with this lyric-that something is wrong with the world! The world has been trying to come up with a solution; financial prowess-recession stuffed that one up! material goods-the horrendous events like the earthquakes and floods have put us into perspective with that answer.
The bible tells us that the problem with the world is not politics, money... The problem is sin-this selfishness we have, this independence we want from God! Let's face it, we are all selfish, we all look out for number 1! We want to cover our tracks when things go wrong-we lie! We want to go on to do better things without putting the work in regardless of anyone else-we cheat! We want things, more stuff-we steal! We sin!
You may say, actually I'm good enough without God, but then you are still saying you don't need him and are showing independence from him=sin!
The solution? Love!
God's love! God shows us his love in this-that even though we are sinners, he still died for us! What mercy, what kindness... what love! Even though we rebel, even though we are selfish, even though we want nothing to do with him-he gave his life so that we might not face the punishment this independence from him deserves, but we might have peace, and joy in an eternal relationship with the one true King if we trust and follow him. What grace, what undeserved kindness from the one true and living God-and grace is not earned, we don't and we can't do anything to earn it otherwise it wouldn't be grace! It is given from God and received from those who will accept it...it is free! Free for us but it is costly, as it cost Jesus his life! Free grace from a God who wants to free us from this bondage to sin! It is given from God and received from those who will accept...
I read this the other day; "The fact that you and I live is mercy. The fact that you still have a chance to turn to him is mercy. The fact that God has not scrapped the world for the injustices worldwide, the fact he has not scrapped the world for people mocking him is mercy. It is love."
So I plead with you-see this love for what it is-the solution to the world's biggest problem and our biggest individual problem-sin! What a God!
Where is the love? When you read of the death of Jesus, his death for you, for me, for the sins of the world-we see God's love shown through the death of himself come in the flesh, so that we may have life.... eternal life and not face eternal death!
In the bible, there is no description of good people and bad people, only people who accept Jesus as King and those who reject Jesus as king-which are you?
Check out the video below to see how awesome Jesus is:
