United Church of God

Letter From Devin Schulz - July 3, 2020

Letter From Devin Schulz

July 3, 2020

Happy Sabbath!

Have you ever considered what it would take to fix this world? This train of thought has run in my mind from time to time. It quickly becomes mind boggling to ponder the depth of the issues facing mankind. This was emphasized in my mind over ten years ago when I had the opportunity to travel to Ghana. As we stepped off the plane, it was immediately apparent that this nation had many problems. The roads were in incredibly poor shape, with no real plans to improve upon them. The electrical and water systems were subject to long, random, outages. Basic sanitation was not known by most. A startling statistic I read about the nation estimated that if the people would simply start the practice of washing their hands after using the bathroom, the infant mortality rate would drop as much as 50%.

What would it take to fix all of this and more? To remove even one of these obstacles in an effective and permanent way would truly be an impossible task. These are relatively small items, especially in comparison to some of the major predicaments facing the whole world. Collectively, we face unprecedented disasters, violence, disease, and famine. In fact, the problems of this world will continue to grow worse until we reach the point that we would destroy all people (Matthew 24:22). 

While on the same trip in Ghana and witnessing the vast amount of work that was needed to help that one nation, I also came across a symbol that was commonly depicted throughout the country - Gye Nyame. Gye Nyame means "except for God." It symbolizes the power of God and the realization that there are some situations that transcend man's ability to solve and that only God's intervention can fix. Many Ghanaians use the symbol to convey their faith. That their protection comes from God, and no one can thwart His will.

Mankind has long lived under the illusion that we can create a perfect system; that we can fix all our problems. If we can just get the right people in power and are given enough time, we will enter utopia. This, however, is far from the truth. We are corrupted at the level of our very nature and do not possess the tools required to stabilize this world (Proverbs 16:1; 20:24; Jeremiah 10:23). It will be God sending His son back to this earth that will not only prevent our own destruction but will also bring the solution. The only way to truly fix the problems we are experiencing is for each person to turn to God and submit to Him. In short, we need to adopt the attitude of Gye Nyame. There is no way to peace, except for through God (Jeremiah 33:6). There is no way to justice, except through God (Isaiah 32:16-19). There is no way to change the human heart except through God (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

We can look around and see the many problems of this world, the chaos, and the suffering. We have also been shown the answer to these troubles - God and His way of life. We should be always mindful that God is the solution to the mess we are in. God speed the day when He steps in to save humanity.

I pray this is a wonderfully uplifting Sabbath for you all.

Devin Schulz