Desperation

I came across an interesting - and somewhat disconcerting - article on TheSpec.com, our local newspaper's online channel, read it here. The paper reports an estimated 30% increase in visits to psychics and mediums in our current economic state. How sad! Rather than turn to the One True God, our family members, neighbors, friends and coworkers are turning to crystal balls and tarot cards to find hope.

One interviewee said this, referring to the cost of psychic advice (around $120USD/hr):

While Lamont and Aguilar acknowledge the price is high, Lamont says that Calibre was able to provide something she couldn't find consulting friends, families or her therapist.

"He just really gave me some little hope that things will be OK and I'm going in the right direction," she says.

How disappointing it is to see people's hearts turn in this direction. I highlighted the words that struck me immediately. People are looking for hope, they are looking for reassurance and are paying large sums of money to find it. How deceiving! Lamont and Aguilar are correct in one sense though, they can't find what they are looking for through friends, families or therapists... little do they know, they will be disappointed (ultimately) with their psychic as well. Such hope has no lasting value, no eternal value, to be sure.

Friends, my heart aches for these people. Their desire for hope is clear, but their methods are faulty, and spiritually dangerous. I am reminded this morning that we need to be beacon's of light and hope for those with whom we have contact. Many people are stressed, financially overburdened and losing hope - we need to show them that we have hope - not false hope from "spiritualists" and mediums, but true, lasting, eternal hope, from God's Word!!

Pray for those around you, pray for your family members, your friends and neighbors, your coworkers. They are desperate for the truth. If only they would turn to Jesus, and not psychics. Hamilton is a hub of psychic and spiritual oppression - do not be naive to think that Hamilton is any different than other cities - it may in fact be more oppressed! Pray for our city, but most importantly, pray for God's people to be salt and light, to be beacon's of hope and truth. That we would be filled with a desire to tell people about Jesus, and that He would go before us and change hearts, opening them, that they may hear the truth and receive it.

People will continue to look for security and hope. The Bible speaks of mediums and spiritual people that deceive many. Times have changed, but methods (largely) have not.

Desperation indeed.