Things of God or man?
I see no way around it. Our country is headed for the crapper if our best choices for leadership are The Donald or The Pantsuit. We look to these as the “best” our country has to offer, while hoping one will deliver us from the other.
I used to be a Democrat in the mold my parents set for me growing up. Then I started leaning more Republican, voting that way for a while. Now I am merely disenchanted I am tired of being manipulated and lied to. I am tired of trying to overlook one person’s misconduct enough to justify voting for him/her. I am close to the point of writing in the name of the only man that can truly save our country. Jesus Christ.
But as I think about that possibility, I wonder why He would not just let us self-destruct in our own sin like so many countries before us. At one time, we were the greatest country the earth had ever seen. Then we took prayer out of schools. We argued about the point at which a baby was an actual human. We freely encourage personal behaviors that are specifically spelled out as being against the will of God, all in the name of diversity. We allow citizens to decide daily what gender they identify with, what bathroom they feel comfortable using. Those in authority over us feel only the need to look after their voting constituency instead of all of us. Laws are ignored, and even the lawbreakers that are convicted get more sympathy than their victims. The leadership of our country pits race against race, showing favoritism to some at the expense of others to make things “even.”
Our churches are more empty than full most Sundays, as we just assume that there will always be a next Sunday. While our churches are in decline, the underground church in China is flourishing because they have a thirst to attain what we take for granted. They have a faith while we have an obligation.
My question, then, is why should we be any different than the dozens of prosperous countries before us that have come and gone? What makes us special?
As a very amateur carpenter, there have been many occasions working on projects that I just scrap it all and start again. Jesus, as the Master Carpenter, could also do that if He chose. All this sounds depressing, yet I have a chance to take hope. All it takes from me is to look in the right place.
Neither DJT nor HRC are the right place. I believe our country is about to enter a time of purification, and it will be a painful time. To this point, I quote from the Book of Mark:
And he (Jesus) began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. – Mark 8:31-33 (emphasis added)
What I believe I have been missing is this: I have been praying selfishly about this election. I want God to show me who to vote for so I can keep our country close to what it is now, because I like it this way. Perhaps that is not the thing of God.
In the passage above, Jesus foretold about a series of unsettling events that His followers could not comprehend. As these events unfolded, His people were scattered, in disarray, and panicked. They could not understand how all these events could possibly have a positive outcome. But they did. Maybe this is where we are in our country. Maybe it is our time to go through panic, disarray, and confusion. We seem to be well on our way, wouldn’t you agree?
My assurance now, as always, is that God is in control. No less today than yesterday, no less tomorrow than today. My struggle is to continue to remember that in the midst of all the noise. His purposes will come to pass, with or without my faith.
I may be missing something, as I am not a politician, and I am not a theologian. But I intend to keep the faith, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to the best of my ability. I am a simple man with a simple faith. Lord, keep me strong and focused on You, Your will be done.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13