Connection with God vital for better future

The more things change the more they remain the same. 

The Bible tells the story of centuries ago as well as stories of today. Indeed the pages of the Bible provide a prophetic and panoramic picture of our present day. 

Joel 3:1-3 1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 

2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

In the text, the issue is that the youth of Israel had been taken into captivity, divided, and scattered across different areas of
the land. 

The result was a weakness in the unity of the nation. 

By targeting the youth, the future of the nation and the survival of its people were at risk. 

The status of the youth of Israel was pathetic.

The youth were divided, prostitutes were given young boys as a plaything, and young girls were sold for the cheap price of a bottle of wine.  

The lives of the youth were being devalued. 

That is key and spot-on to what we see occurring in Bermuda today. 

The youth are divided on our small 20-mile land.  

They have unknowingly joined in a plot by the devil to destroy each other. 

Divided

How sad to see our youth divided against each other and proudly wiping out the future they could have. 

From Somerset to St George’s there are those who are determined to take others out of this world. 

That is captivity. When people are not free to be free everywhere, then they are not truly free anywhere. 

When a young male cannot travel to one part of a small island, he is in captivity. 

That picture makes for a sad statement for many on the island. 

Yet, and in spite of this current reality, there is hope. Oh yes, in God, there will always be hope. You see God had His eye on the nation of Israel and God has His eye on Bermuda. 

Future

Therefore, as we see what God did for Israel, then we can have a vision of what God can do for Bermuda. 

In verse 1, God said, “I shall bring again.” 

What God is relaying to us is that what He did for Israel in the past, He will do it again. That is powerful and presents a hope of escape for the prisoners. 

In other words, no matter how far the youth have been taken down, God is saying that He will bring them up. 

God wants the youth to know that as long as they have life, He can take their life and make it anew. 

That is what must be communicated to the youth of Bermuda. Our youth must begin to hear positive words of a good future in spite of their current reality. If the youth can reconnect with God, they will regain the expected end of a good future that God has for them. 

Connect with God; connect with your future. RESPICE FINEM.