By Jake McCall

My generation (those in their 30s and 40s) frequently hear from our older generation that we are really leading us all down a path of destruction.

It is certainly hard to argue with that declaration.

Recently an older gentleman shared that same thought with me and added, “But my father and grandfather used to tell me the same thing when I was younger.”

This common theme runs all throughout history with each generation being sure that the younger ones are sending everyone straight to hell.

This pattern happens because the longer that we are around, the clearer the brokenness becomes.

As we age, we will see more death, more corruption and more despair and we don’t see it getting better for our children’s generation, only worse.

This has an effect on everyone. I believe this is because we all have such an earnest longing for the way things originally were in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:31) and the way things will one day be in the New Heavens and the New Earth (Revelation 21:4).

Although suppressed by many, God tells us two very clear things through this world that we live in: 1) That he is here, and 2) that we desperately need him.

In other words, when we look upon the beauty and design of creation, we see the clear reality of the existence of God.

It is also clear that this world is now lost and dying and without Jesus, we are lost and dying with it.

Therefore, I have a prayerful hope for the church in our country and across the earth for my generation.

I hope that our eyes will be opened to the wonder and majesty of the great Triune God while being humbled in such a way that we truly turn to this great God for redemption in Christ.

I appeal to readers, young and old, to join me in asking God to pour out his spirit upon us, giving us new eyes to see his glory and new ears to hear his wondrous voice.

Our hope can never be that we will soon just all come to our senses. Our senses are fallen. Our hope can only be in Jesus and the working of his spirit in us.

Yes, we live in a world that is darker today than yesterday, but the light of the spirit of Christ can illuminate this place. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)

—Jake McCall is a religion columnist for The Clanton Advertiser. He is the pastor at Grace Fellowship Presbyterian Church.