Are we as a people just having a bad dream as we try to understand what is happening in the world? One thing after another. Now the latest horrendous tragedy has been implemented in Afghanistan.

It’s one thing to leave all of our equipment there for the enemy, but another, trying to imagine the fear of those left behind Americans as well as Afghan sympathizers when they know they cannot get out of the country, knowing the torture and murderous tactics of the Taliban are imminent. I search for things to write about, and this is all I can think about right now. We feel personally ashamed and disgraced because of this action. And we feel such sorrow, for them, for our country, for our children and grandchildren. 

In the meantime, our border is being ravaged by an invasion of all and any who wish to enter, while border guards become more discouraged and exhausted by it all; little children without guardians, ravening wolves snatching many of them into the child sex trade, while licking their chops as they haul in drugs by the carloads. These millions are glutting the border towns, unrestrained, and soon will be arriving in the rest of the U.S. with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Whose responsibility is this for this carnage and fear throughout this country and the rest of the world? After all, it is an individual as well as a corporate responsibility. But whom? 

Principally, the blame goes to us all. We have become consumed with making a living, raising kids, watching Sunday football, enjoying the good life, and ignoring the activities of those whom we have entrusted to running this nation. We have become soft, and petty, uninformed and insensitive. 

We have not guarded the chicken house.

Sad to say, but we, individually and corporately, must face these issues for the sake of our children and grandchildren to order to preserve a nation under God. We must be willing to die, yes, I mean that, die for our beliefs. If push comes to shove, we must shove.

But we cannot fix this without the intervention and support of God.

We need Him. He is, after all, watching, and not at all caught off guard by all of this. Remember, He doesn’t interfere with our free will. And we, with our free wills, are free to ignore these situations, or roll up our sleeves and do whatever needs to be done.

And the first thing we need to do is humbly, and with open hearts, pray for this nation. We then must ask God to forgive us for taking all our many blessings for granted.  

II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If (notice the word, If) my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, then I will hear from heaven and will heal their land.” 

I don’t know how we are going to get out of this mess. God has to do it. The problems are too complex. 

However, I know, for my part, that I have been in pickles before; complex, unsolvable, messy problems where the only way out would be God’s way. And He has been faithful every time when we have sought His will.  

And He will be faithful again. But, to get this fixed, it will take all of us praying, paying attention, and willing to get involved, even though we don’t know what that might mean.  

Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached at juditabler@gmail.com.