Gone fishing!

Welcome to the world we all inhabit on this Monday, March 16, 2009. I will readily admit that I do like reading mind-boggling statistical analysis. You can get as much as you can handle of this type of information by visiting the website of the 2008 World Fact Book, maintained by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Do a Google search and you will easily find it. The website name is rather long so I didn’t copy and paste it here. This compilation of world statistical information is stunning in its detail. It speaks volumes, literally, on how you and I, regardless of what we have accomplished or done, end up still being pretty small fish in a huge pond. As of 2008, I was only one of the 6.8 billion other folks who breathe air on our planet. That’s a whole bunch of numbers strung together and quite staggering when you consider that each and every individual is known by, loved by, and accountable to the God who created us. On the one hand it makes one feel very small. On the other it reminds us of the profound declaration of the Psalmist who said, “Who is man that You are mindful or take notice of him?” (See Psalms 8:4)

According to this website men outnumber women in total numbers by a fair margin, including male birth rate, however, don’t get too excited fellows because with age those numbers go crazy on us. By the time guys reach age 65 or older women more or less take over to the extent that in 2008 they outnumbered men in that age group by 65 million. This means that a male child born into this world last year had the average potential of living 64.3 years while women were at 68.4 years. This would be a good place to try and guess why this is the case. One jokester remarked that women live longer than men because someone has to stick around and clean up after them. Many of the websites devoted to answering this question had pictures of men risking their lives in doing very stupid things. The photos supposedly helped to answer why men die younger.

These statistics also indicate that only one third of the nearly 7 billion people identify themselves as Christian. That would produce a total of slightly over two billion folks with a potential for having a salvation experience that will see them spend eternity in heaven. However, common sense tells us that many of these are likely believers in name only and are depending upon their good works, or their baptism, or their Church affiliation to get them into heaven. Jesus made it clear that He and He alone is the only way that anyone will ever be able to be eternally saved. Therefore, when we say we live in a lost and dying world we are not kidding! If half of those who claim to be Christian are not, then we are down to only one billion out of seven. That means six billion are lost and on their way to an eternity separated from the God who sent His one and only Son to die for them. No wonder the Bible tells us that Satan is the prince of this world! Bottom line, we need to do all we can to reach as many as we can with the truth that God loves them and that He will save them if they turn to Him. We may be small fish in a huge pond but we do remember how our Savior fed literally thousands when He was given a basket of small fish! This gives us all something to chew on this week as we go about our busy lives. May God bless each and every one! Amen. …More later.