Bookends of Truth

“He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them…He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:21-22

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.” Romans 13:1.

If you aren’t waking up this morning with a heavy heart and mind for our country you either are living out a crisis of your own, or haven’t plugged in from yesterday’s news cycle and/or social media. Today we need the biblical reality and instruction of the above Scripture to lower the national temperature more than ever. These verses are bookends of truth that we either believe or deny. We cannot pick and choose verses based on our preferences. I don’t remember at what point we became a country of parties who think we know better than God. God has been both establishing and sustaining leadership at every level since the beginning of time. I don’t know at what point our country built an idol called government that we began worshipping. But this I know…Christ has already done the work for every human on earth and only in Him do we find unity…real unity.

‘Unity does not come from us, it is given to us by God when we become Christians, and it is simply our task to maintain it in the Spirit. The phrase unity of the Spirit is just a way of saying that we are all one in the Spirit.’ Jason Soroski, Christianity Today. When we pray for unity it means we are asking God to impart that which we cannot acquire on our own. When we pray for unity it begins with my heart and your heart. Unity will never come from a man or a woman in power because they are only as good as their preferences. Our preferences must always be anchored in God's. We must examine our own heart first for any division before we ‘pray for the nation.’ We must recognize when we have a divided mind and heart such as who we voted for and our opinion of whether it was fair or not. We must surrender our sense of entitlement, our insatiable and ravenous appetite for social media and newscasts. All we need is found in our homes…in our prayer closets…in the Word…in fellowship with the Body of Christ…in the beauty of creation. When did we become a people of hysteria when we could choose to unplug and walk in the peace God intended? When did we become duped that all the knowledge that we need is being attained through those who have the power of what is reported and what is not? Whether it is broadcasted by the news or posted on social media...it is all opinions not rooted in factual knowledge.

We ask for peace yet we watch the chaos…we ask for prayer yet we spend more time posting …we ask for justice yet there is only one Judge. We have a new president and time is up for the past president. God has given us through His great mercy another day of life…another opportunity to see the good and to enjoy the freedom we have. What will we do with it today...tomorrow? God didn’t have to assign us this day. Will we worship at the altar of man’s knowledge or will we unplug and trust God for every part of our life?

“Dear Father, first and foremost forgive me for being part of the division instead of the unity. Forgive me for losing sight that only you can see the heart of man, and the truth of what is being done in the dark. Forgive my short-sightedness and judgment towards people, situations and circumstances. Thank you for being greater and more faithful than any president or person in power. Thank you that you have the power to unite my heart and the hearts of others igniting a wildfire of hope, humility and unity across the nation. I ask for a spirit of unity, acceptance and discovery of the wonderful possibilities that You have for our future. You have planned great and wonderful things for our country because You love us and want the best for us. But I know that if I don’t give You my best that Your best might be delayed. So, help me Lord to chase after the things You have assigned for me in this moment of time. Now, I pray for our leaders…I pray for our out-going President Trump and our incoming President Biden. You have assigned their times and I will trust You for all things. In your all-powerful, all-knowing name, and all-loving name, Amen!