One of the latest videos to go viral shows a baby goat struggling in a pond. A pig swims to the goat and leads it to the shore, where they both climb out to safety. The video was picked up by NBC’s Today show and its Nightly News program, as well as ABC’s Good Morning America and Fox News.
Now we know that the very cute video was very much faked. It was staged by some 20 crew members, including animal trainers, scuba divers, and humane officers. The news sources that aired the video had to make retractions. One media expert explained their lack of verification before showing the clip: “I think a lot of newsrooms are under pressure to ride this wave of information saturation. So a video goes popular, it gets viral and newsrooms want to get in on that wave because they feel it makes them seem relevant. I’m not sure it does, though.”
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<iframe style=”float: right; border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #C0C0C0; padding: 2px; margin: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -khtml-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px;” width=”270″ height=”152″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/g7WjrvG1GMk?rel=0″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>{/source}I’m not sure, either. Being recent and being relevant are not the same thing. Since human nature doesn’t change, enduring truth is still the most essential truth. In that context, consider this oft-quoted statement: “If you want to get along with God, stay off his throne.” On this Monday of Holy Week, two events illustrate its significance.
On Monday of Holy Week, Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, where he “drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers'” (Matthew 21:12-13). When they used the temple to advance their purposes rather than God’s Kingdom, they forfeited both.
This week I am privileged to lead a city-wide spiritual awakening conference in Midland, Texas. The conference is titled “Awake714,” built on God’s statement to King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Spiritual renewal begins with God’s people, those who are “called by my name.” God calls us to humble ourselves, pray together for awakening, seek his face passionately, and turn from our sins in a commitment to holiness. Each night we are focusing on one of these imperatives. Last night we humbled ourselves before God, admitting that he is King of the world and we are not. We chose to enthrone him as Master of our lives, our days, and our nation.
When last did you do the same? Are there moneychangers in your temple today?
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