The Invisible Hand Which Conducts the Affairs of Men

 

As we celebrate our nation’s 250^th birthday, I’d like to consider some of the men who’ve led us thus far, and the words they spoke in acknowledgement of the God who orchestrated each one’s place in history. 

Here are a few excerpts from notable inaugural speeches:

 From speech number one, given on April 30, 1789, by our first president, George Washington:

Such being the impressions under which I have, in obedience to the public summons, repaired to the present station, it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good, I assure myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my own, nor those of my fellow-citizens at large less than either. No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. 

The above passage is included in the second paragraph of Washington’s very long, literary speech. Upon his re-election, the inaugural offering was in its entirety thirty-one words shorter than this one excerpt. Nothing else to say? New speech writer? Less reliance on the Almighty Being? I’ll leave such judgement to the historians.

The next president moved the acknowledgement of God to the end of his speech, and there it remained in several future speeches. Here are the words John Adams spoke on Inauguration Day, March 4, 1797:

And may that Being who is supreme over all, the Patron of Order, the Fountain of Justice, and the Protector in all ages of the world of virtuous liberty, continue His blessing upon this nation and its Government and give it all possible success and duration consistent with the ends of His providence.

From Thomas Jefferson, March 4, 1801:

Relying, then, on the patronage of your good will, I advance with obedience to the work, ready to retire from it whenever you become sensible how much better choice it is in your power to make. And may that Infinite Power which rules the destinies of the universe lead our councils to what is best, and give them a favorable issue for your peace and prosperity.

From James Madison, March 4, 1809 

In these my confidence will under every difficulty be best placed, next to that which we have all been encouraged to feel in the guardianship and guidance of that Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations, whose blessings have been so conspicuously dispensed to this rising Republic, and to whom we are bound to address our devout gratitude for the past, as well as our fervent supplications and best hopes for the future.

Here’s an excerpt from the middle of Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural speech, March 4, 1861:

If the Almighty Ruler of Nations, with His eternal truth and justice, be on your side of the North, or on yours of the South, that truth and that justice will surely prevail by the judgment of this great tribunal of the American people.

And from the middle of Lincoln’s second inaugural speech, March 4, 1865:

Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes… […]

Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

No intent of any political movement could be as difficult as the one Lincoln faced as president. No citizen denied due rights has suffered under the law, or required freedom by the law, as were the people of that time. No internal battle in our nation has been comparable. Of course, that could change. And perhaps it is changing now. The change may appear to happen quickly, but a change in the heart of a nation happens gradually, almost imperceivably.

 What about the more recent inaugural addresses? How did these leaders of the modern world acknowledge God? The following quotes do not include every vague quote of a Bible verse or saint, or every reference to faith or religion. The new manner of speeches will never match the poetry and persuasion of the old. I’ve only extracted the passages that cite God. The words may or may not suppose the God our founding fathers called upon or recognize Him as paramount to our nation’s existence.

From Barak Obama, January 20, 2009:

…the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. […]

 This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.  […]

…with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. Thank you.  God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.

From Barak Obama, January 21, 2013:

For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they’ve never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.  […]

We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.  […]

That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. […]

My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction.  […]

God bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America. 

From Donald J. Trump, January 20 2017:

The Bible tells us, “how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”  […]

There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God. 

From Joseph Biden, January 20, 2021:

My fellow Americans, I close the day where I began, with a sacred oath before God and all of you. […]

May God bless America and may God protect our troops.

From Donald J. Trump, January 20, 2025:  

We will not forget our country, we will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God.  […]

We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God.  

Whether God is mentioned or not, revered or forgotten, beseeched or ignored within a new president’s inaugural speech, there is no limiting God’s presence. Or His intervention. Or His blessing. Presidents are only men, perhaps one day a woman, chosen by God for a time and purpose. God is not stilled by a man’s words, nor by a nation’s dismissal. No president is appointed outside of God’s will. Not one is a mistake.

Of course, not every Inauguration Day address can be included, but here’s one more:

From the beginning of Dwight Eisenhower’s address, January 20, 1953:

My friends, before I begin the expression of those thoughts that I deem appropriate to this moment, would you permit me the privilege of uttering a little private prayer of my own. And I ask that you bow your heads:

Almighty God, as we stand here at this moment my future associates in the Executive branch of Government join me in beseeching that Thou will make full and complete our dedication to the service of the people in this throng, and their fellow citizens everywhere.

Give us, we pray, the power to discern clearly right from wrong, and allow all our words and actions to be governed thereby, and by the laws of this land. Especially we pray that our concern shall be for all the people regardless of station, race or calling.

May cooperation be permitted and be the mutual aim of those who, under the concepts of our Constitution, hold to differing political faiths; so that all may work for the good of our beloved country and Thy glory. Amen.

The Laborious Study of Anything

 

I recently heard a quote, and I might not get it exactly right, but here is the gist of it: Laborious study does not lead to disbelief (or maybe it was unbelief); It comes through a love of sin.

From the nature of the quote, assumption could be made that the reference was to belief, or the suspension of it, in the God of the Bible. I don't recall if the word used was disbelief or unbelief. I’m sure it wasn’t nonbelief. In the context of the quote, disbelief seems the correct choice.

But is there really any difference?

From Merriam-Webster:

Disbelief: the mental rejection of something as untrue

Unbelief: incredulity or skepticism especially in matters of religious faith

Nonbelief: absence or lack of belief, especially : absence or lack of religious belief

When I wrote Our Town Atheist, I included this book cover tagline: Can an unbeliever bring revival to a small town in the Bible belt? With Adam Bender’s luck, it could happen.

My publisher changed the wording, and rightly so, from unbeliever to nonbeliever. Not that Adam Bender isn’t incredulous and skeptical, but nonbeliever is the better characterization of an atheist.

The faint disparities between the three words give them leeway in everyday use. But not on a book cover—that’s why God made editors. My concern, at least for this moment, is not the un or non, but the disbelief that comes from the study of something. It might be science, or sociology, or modern culture or politics. It might even come from studying the Bible. A person can believe in love and forgiveness and grace, but falter when it comes to judgment and wrath and the absolute validity of the sin problem. It’s easy to say you’re a believer until you come across some words you just can’t believe. If it’s an easy decision and shut the book and walk away, believer was never your label.

And your belief was shallow if the laborious study of anything brought you to disbelief. You were an unbeliever trying to believe, but you didn't. Or a nonbeliever trying to prove yourself right.

So, how does the love of sin lead to disbelief? You said you believed and you lived like a believer, but the knowledge you think you've gained has led to disbelief. Where’s the sin in that? And how can anyone tell you that you love sin?

You didn’t become a bad person, just one who no longer accepts the notion that God is real. Rejection of God, who gladly reveals His nature and character through His word, is the sin of rebellion. You haven’t lost your compassion; you simply unshackled yourself from outdated ideas. Elevating your own intellect above the wisdom bestowed by God results in the sin of pride. Now your disbelief (rejection of the truth) morphs into unbelief (skepticism) which lands you where you think you want to be: you’re a nonbeliever, an atheist. Because you loved sin? Yes. Because you loved a world ripped loose from God more than a world united with God.

A young, church-going friend of mine recently declared that due to her laborious (she didn’t really use that word) study of science, she is now an atheist. I won’t correct her if she interchanges the words disbelief, unbelief, and nonbelief. I won’t scold her about her studies. I will tell her I’ve studied science longer and harder that she has, and I've never found that God was not there. I will remind her the Holy Spirit leads us to the truth, every time. I will encourage her, and love her, and tell her with a smile and a pat on the back this one thing: Atheism is temporary.

 

 

Christmas is a Declaration of War

I thought it was a strange statement when I first heard it. Isn’t there enough war going on with the current spin of peace deals and ceasefires and radicalized violence? Do we really need to turn Christmas into a battle? The world is collectively waging war on itself and there can be no winner. There will be no victor. Right?

In truth, victory is sure. But not without Christmas.

So, what does it mean that Christmas is a declaration of war? Didn’t the Baby come to bring peace on earth, goodwill to men? The angels declared it. The message of Christmas is peace. The miracle birth was humble, unimpressive, accomplished through everyday people and announced to a bunch of lowlifes on a hillside taking care of dirty animals. There was no grand proclamation of the King’s arrival to upend the hopeless fate of humanity. And yet, that’s what happened.

Christmas is more about death than birth. The prophesized King arrived exactly as predicted, only some were expecting a warrior, not a baby. “And it shall be a sign unto you” was not the sign desired by most. What was expected was a long-awaited triumph over mortal oppressors. But make no mistake, this was war. From the moment of the Fall, a war had to be fought. The Baby came to wage a battle against sin, death, and hell. The infant was an immediate threat to Satan. He was the absolute redeemer of the rebel creation. He was God. And man. He was the only One who could declare a war that no one else could win.

He grew up perfectly perfect. Sinless. If His birth had not been the result of a miraculous conception, He would have carried the sin nature in His humanity. But He was free of it. He was the Warrior King who would win the battle and set His people free. As He hung dying, He proclaimed IT IS FINISHED. No more needed to be done to defeat the enemy. Death was conquered. When Jesus stepped out the grave, He won the ultimate victory.

The birth is nothing without the death. Peace on earth is impossible without a declaration of war. Has peace come? To a follower like me, peace is real and constant, even when it’s not. It’s inexplicable. It can’t be explained, only experienced. To the world at large, there is no peace, no matter who declares it so. But it’s coming. It was promised, and so it will be. Only the King, born in a manger, killed on a cross, and raised from a grave can bring true peace. Even if you can’t see it now, even if you don’t believe it, the war was, and is, and will be over. Merry Christmas.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

Isaiah 9:6

 

 

 

 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

 

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” is not one of my favorite carols. And hearing a hundred different versions of “The Little Drummer Boy” on the radio drives me to listen to the forbidden secular music. While everyone else is humming an appropriate tune for the merry season, I might be singing a pop song, or some classic rock, under my breath. It’s not that I’m a Grinch or anything. A little Trans-Siberian will get me in the Christmas spirit, and I could listen to “How Many Kings” from the group called Downhere until the cattle are lowing. But while the local CCM station does keep all those “Drummer Boy” renditions on their loop, I’ve only heard my favorite modern carol once this year.

Of course, it’s not about me. Or the little guy with the drum. Or the talented artists who sing every old carol with a new beat or come up new songs to add to the mix. We keep the message in our hearts and on our lips so we remember why we’re shopping and decorating. As if the catch phrases weren’t enough—Keep Christ in Christmas, Jesus is the reason for season, and others we feel obligated to repeat. After all, it’s Christmas and we’re Christians—this is our celebration. When someone spouts “Happy Holidays”, we make a point of returning the greeting with a quick “Merry Christmas.” Sometimes an un-merry attitude comes across when we do that, so watch the tone.

Speaking of merry, I learned something new this holiday season about one of those old songs that causes me to switch on over to the music of the dark side. (Don’t worry, I don’t stay there if the lyrics are filthy, and I’m more than convinced my salvation doesn’t rest on my choice of radio stations.) Anyway, I heard the story behind “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and I have new respect for the gentlemen in question.

With no record of its origin, the song became popular among the English peasants more than 500 years ago. But what means one thing in the modern world meant something else to those who crooned the tune on a cold Christmas Eve so long ago. Not the kind of song that would have been sung in the local cathedral, it was a folk song for Christians wanting something a little different than the dry Latin lyrics and gloomy music they heard at services. (Seems the issue of “Church music” has been going on for a while.)

When families and neighbors gathered to offer their praise for the glorious gift of the newborn babe, they sang what we would assume meant God, grant some relief to these happy men. But that wasn’t the message of this upbeat song. A little study on the language of the time tells a different meaning in the opening line.

The word rest didn’t refer to a long winter’s nap. It meant to make or to keep. The word merry, to us means happy and joyful. But to the sad peasant who lacked the means for a better life, it meant strong or mighty. And according to experts, there is some missing punctuation. It was lost over the years when modern interpretation gave the line new meaning. A comma once stood before the gentlemen. So, in the minds and on the tongues of the original band members, the popular hit song went something like this: God keep you strong, gentlemen. Or: God make you mighty, gentlemen. Maybe the ladies were included as well, but these words were an encouragement to the downtrodden men of the day that God would increase their strength by the telling of the great plan of salvation. The line “to save us all from Satan’s power when we have gone astray” meant then exactly what it means now.

That’s what it’s all about. The reason for the season.

The next time I hear this particular old song I get tired of hearing, I won’t change the station. I will sing along.

“God make you strong, you guys and gals, let nothing bring you down.” Well, maybe I’ll just sing the old words, but I’ll remember their original meaning. As for meeting the inoffensive “Happy Holidays” with a quick retort, maybe next time I’ll cheerfully say, “And a Mighty Christmas to you!”

Drums and dancing don’t impede

Instruments woodwind and reed

Lift your bow to string

Lift your voice to sing

Come with me and blow your horn

A savior came that blessed morn

Great gain for life for death will fall

A mighty Christmas day to all

The Art of Crying Holy

 

I’m not an emotional Christian. While there are a few songs that might bring me to tears in a worship service, I’d rather experience such intimacy in a private moment. When I observe a friend—in the terminology of modern Christianese—getting her worship on, I consider she must be more spiritual than me, more attuned to God. An all-around better Christian. Then I chuckle under my breath. She’s not that good of a Christian. Of course, neither am I, or my eyes wouldn’t wander during worship and I wouldn’t judge my extroverted friend.

A while back, I quit worrying that I’d ever be able to change from introvert to extrovert. I decided I was okay reading in the far corner of the room while others engaged in conversation. God knew when He made me how I’d turn out. Then he married me off to an extrovert and provided a good balance.

My propensity for quiet retreat gives me insight perhaps unknown to the overt worshiper. But still, I wonder sometimes if I’m missing out. The closer we get to the return of Christ, the more I sense my natural disposition bubbling near the edge of the supernatural.

In the past, when I considered the return of our Lord to gather His Church, I would often gaze upward to the clear blue sky. I’d breathe in God’s wonder. And I’d think, no, not yet. And God would ease my mind into a holding pattern. Not so any longer.

Maybe it’s because I’m older. Or because the world is getting nuttier. Or because, while I’m not always demonstrative, I do feel things, and I feel that my Deliverer is coming. I no longer view the pleasant sky as a sign. I sometimes hold my breath to listen for His call. But I’m not afraid. It might seem to others that I’m unenthusiastic. But that’s just me. Without spectacle, void of anxiety, I await the soon-coming King.

I’m glad for the whooping from my brothers and sisters. I’m happy for their raucous verbal acknowledgement of King Jesus. Their cries echo in the hushed well of my soul.

           Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.

                      You are holy, Lord. Holy.

There’s an art to crying holy. Like the painter’s stroke, the poet’s verse, the singer’s refrain, or the musician’s skill, the cry erupts from deep inside. Like the builder’s monument or the engineer’s design, it carries great benefit for the whole community. The art of one is unlike the art of all the rest, and yet it arises in the same Spirit. It’s original. It’s true. It’s beautiful. And God delights in it.

When I'm standing before the Throne, I might join the celebration with a loud voice. If it happens that way, I won’t fret. How could I resist in the presence of my Savior? Or perhaps there will be an introvert section in the choir, where I can blend in. But I doubt we’ll remain quiet for long. Our cry of holy, holy, holy will surely resonate in glorious tribute to fill Heaven.

After such personal revelation, can I remain still and subdued in the here and now? Sure I can, and I won’t fret over that either. But the day is closer, the art more devoted, and maybe I’m crying holy just a little bit louder. 

The Day the Conversation Died

 In memory of Charlie Kirk

Of course, a conversation only dies when the participants stop talking. That has not happened. Now everybody’s talking. The motivator died, but the motivation became amplified. The initiator is gone, but the gut-wrenched souls, once they caught their collective breath, began to speak with no muddled voices. The detractors spoke up too, and some of them must regret their rush to blabber because it cost them their jobs. Mixed feelings about free speech and all that? Me too. But if opinion can end a man’s life, perhaps the setback of a career is not so terrible. They can learn a lesson in civility and move on.

It's not the first conversation to take a hit. And it’s not the first celebratory response to an assassination. People who resist the establishment and stir up the public are always met with cheers and jeers. When I was a child, a great American voice was extinguished by evil. The months that followed brought riots, blame, hate, political unrest, the deployment of the national guard, another assassination, great upheaval, and eventually, necessary steps in the direction of change. But in the first moments of darkness, some people who didn’t approve of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mission shouted for joy. And that was, and is, disgraceful.

You may say that I should not dare compare that man to this one, and I’m not. But MLK’s infamous speech is one of my favorite writings of all time. It still speaks loudly to me and to anyone who listens. And so, for me, comparison is instinctual. A man died for a cause and the world took notice. As for the words of Charlie Kirk, I didn’t follow his interactions with college students closely. But I do now. I’ve never read any of his books. But I will now. The conversation lives on.

I understand that some of his quotes, taken out of context, may provoke some people who live angry lives to speak angry words. Again, the conversation lives on. Whether or not everything he ever said was clearly understood, whether or not his ideology was acceptable, ending his life was wrong. The killer said that some hate can't be negotiated out. End of conversation. Nothing left to do but silence the voice in the most heinous way possible. That. Is. Wrong. Can't we just agree on this one point? 

I think I heard Charlie say something once that I didn’t like, but I don’t remember what it was. He didn’t speak perfectly and I don’t listen perfectly. He did address our culture, the indoctrination of young minds, the role of government, the responsibility of parents, and other issues that many, many of us care about. 

Above all else, he followed Christ. He carried the Gospel to the stage of the world. I can only accept the challenge of this man’s example and continue to proclaim the truth.

 No Charlie Kirk quote here, only this…

“If any earthly institution or custom conflicts with God’s will, it is your Christian duty to oppose it. You must never allow the transitory, evanescent demands of man-made institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God.”                                                                               –Martin Luther King, Jr.

The conversation must live on. Evil snuffed out the flame of one voice, but watch out, there’s a fire burning. 

Yes King

 

In response to recent protests, I heard that our president said, “I’m not a king. If I were a king, I’d have a lot less trouble.”

I don’t know about that. What I do know is that a new bitter root has sprung up to grow another hearty weed. It’s no garden-gracing bloom. It has no substance. No fruit. It won’t become a mighty oak. For now, it’s a bit of color on the rocky ground. It does have a good bit of fertilizer to sustain it. It’s being watered by the same spigot that brought us a few other weeds in recent years. But it will get mowed down. By a king? By an authoritarian ruler? More likely it will be taken out by whatever source of dark money crimps the garden hose. I could take a guess about that, but I’d rather address this demand for no kings.

Didn’t we do that already? Didn’t the founders of our country say no to the king of the country they abandoned for the new world? Have we ever, in our nearly two-hundred fifty years of sovereignty, been threatened with the forceful installment of a king? We live in a land of no kings. We don’t have a king. We don’t want a king. We don’t need a king. But thank you for protesting the obvious.

I say no to kings. If I saw one coming, I’d… Wait, I do see one coming. And I say, yes King. In photos of the protests over the weekend, one stood out. Among the homemade and professionally created placards that left little impression on my sense of reason, one sign caught my attention. It was a picture of Jesus, not as King, or Savior, but appearing as a fighter. Not the all-consuming force he will be when he comes, but a street fighter. The portrait was not impressive as he didn’t really look much like King Jesus, but the words got me. NO KINGS EXCEPT THIS 1.

YES KING! This is the King the world needs. Not that the world understands. But the church should understand. Christians have parted along battle lines in a world that is not our home. This should not be. Some friends and associates of mine declare that a real Christian would never support our current POTUS. Others insist a true follower of Christ couldn’t possibly stand for the cultural mindset of the disgruntled attention grabbers.

I’m not challenging opinions. Christians are individuals who view the world from various perspectives. So be it. But our King is coming, and we should not be so brazenly divided by politics, or the mind-bending media, or the culture clash of the lost. The lost need to know the truth.

The truth is God appoints rulers, be it kings or presidents. The truth is the church should pray for our leaders. The truth is that sin is still sin and Jesus still saves. The truth is the battles we try to fight are only flashpoints in a spiritual war that will not end until the one true King ends it.

I don’t believe I can change too many minds. But I do believe Jesus changes everything. I will pray and obey as best I can. I won’t build my own kingdom. I will seek God’s truth and display it. Because the truth is, time is short. Use it wisely.

 

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

Revelation 17:14

Ants, Men, and the Machine

 Since I wrote this in 2017, one of the men I mention has died. The other man is now in a position of weighty power and influence. And the world has accelerated its evolution into strangeness. 

If you haven’t noticed, the world has gotten stranger lately. I can’t be accused of trying to hold on to normalcy since I wrote a weird story about a futuristic man. If you want to become a human like the one I wrote about, just hold on a few years and you might get the chance. In my fiction, an inept government fails to establish a new and improved human race. But more than that, it’s the hand of God that keeps the government from achieving the goal completely. 

I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject of Artificial Intelligence, but I've done some research in order to make the fiction more real. I certainly don’t pretend to know the mind of God, but I study and pray to acknowledge His everlasting holiness and discern His will as best as I can in my fallen human condition. And this is how I know the world is getting stranger, and that the human race is becoming more aggressive in its quest for power, and that God is patient.

In a recent article, physicist Stephen Hawking gives warning about the coming age of A.I. and how it might take over and possibly destroy us. Not on purpose, but simply by unwaveringly efficient design. Hawking said:

“You're probably not an evil ant-hater who steps on ants out of malice, but if you're in charge of a hydroelectric green energy project and there's an anthill in the region to be flooded, too bad for the ants. Let's not place humanity in the position of those ants.”

When reading this, I had to wonder if Hawking knows the book of Proverbs extols the ants for their wise and efficient toil for self-preservation. Hopefully, we’re at least as smart as ants.

This statement also appears in the article: Tesla CEO Elon Musk shares a similar viewpoint, having recently warned that humans are in danger of becoming irrelevant.

Hawking’s answer to the problem? A world government coming together for the purpose of protecting us from technology. From our own developments? From all that we cleverly invent to make our lives better? Are the computers really going to take over?  

In one regard, it’s good that the great minds of our time recognize we’re headed into unprecedented circumstance. But they aren’t suggesting we take a step back. They simply believe there is no other possibility and we must be prepared for the future reshaping of our world.

In my novels, I point out the similarities between the coming cyber world and the Tower of Babel. The need for power and the requirement of dominance once brought about something that now seems mundane: the building of a city with a great tower. Not so dangerous, but at the time God saw fit to end it. The endeavor itself was not unreasonable, it was the pursuit of power that needed to be tamed. But that fire inside us has been allowed to remain through the ages. Now our city is an artificial territory one may enter from any place at any time, and the tower we’re building is an all-powerful machine. And then, as God noted in the book of Genesis, nothing we plan will be impossible for us. Except perhaps preserving our own existence. A tower was attempted in the first book of the Bible. Could the events of the last book bring a virtual tower and a new world order to rule its exploits?

The rise of mankind to reach the heavens is nothing new. The desire to rule the world is rooted in our deeply aggressive nature not by, as Hawking states, the hard-wiring of Darwinian evolution, but because of the Fall. We exist by the grace of God and we continue to exist because of His will. We will not end ourselves by building a fierce monster of a machine. God is bigger and fiercer than anything we can come up with. He’s also loving and merciful, and He will be the One to reshape this world. But are we taking a strange step toward our own annihilation as God carries out His plan? As one redeemed, I will resist the machine and rely on the power of Christ. He’s coming to my rescue.

Darkness Interrupted

We all know it probably didn’t happen in December. The manger scenes we display on our tables or in our yards may not be an exact representation of the real thing. Our Christmas is more culture than conviction. While we’re shopping, baking, decorating, and even while we’re singing out with joy, we do well to keep in mind the awesome peculiarity of God’s gift. At the church I attend, we dedicate each Sunday night in December to singing about the great event that took place and changed the world. Our first evening service of the month brought a new song, one written and sung by a young church member.

The words of the song sank deep and reminded me that God didn’t have to send us a baby in a manger. That baby didn’t have to give up residency in Heaven and lay down in the dirt where animals slept. He could have stayed where He was and done one of two things—revealed to us in a loud voice that we must follow Him, or else just wiped us out.

But neither of those plans would have suited Him. He made us in His image, and so we can’t be obliterated—not really. He’s eternal, so we’re eternal. And using His outside voice isn’t exactly in His nature either. At least not when it comes to redeeming His children.

So did He have to come as a baby and live like a peasant and die like a criminal? We can’t answer that question. It’s what He did. He did it for us. He did it for Himself. But he could have just let it ride. We—the whole human race—would have burned ourselves out eventually and existed eternally apart from Him. That’s what would have happened if He didn’t do what He did.

The angels made an announcement that night—whenever it was.  “Good tidings of great joy.” And then a light came on. Maybe the whole sky lit up. Maybe the light burned in the hearts of those who heard the angels’ cry. Maybe it was just a low glow in the souls of all mankind. A spark to ignite future generations. A glimmer to remind creation that redemption had come at last. Whatever it was, our dark world got interrupted by His glory. Halleluiah. 

He could have left the light off—said, “Nobody’s home. Not for you, lost world.” But He didn’t.

The chorus from that new song—one I hope we hear again in our church next Christmas:

You could have stayed on high,

But you came into our night.

Came to give us light. Came to give us light. 

                                       ( written and sung by Beka Burns)

A Dangerous Election

 

As a follower of Christ, I don’t proclaim faith in policies, politicians, or the promises offered by such. These are not worthy of my faith. Only One is worthy. Yet, with discernment and the understanding that I’m not voting for a savior, I will vote. If there is danger in my decision, so be it. Danger is inevitable, and perhaps more so if my decision is to offer no vote at all. I’ve heard that 40% of evangelical Christians will not vote in the presidential election. That is dangerous.

Here are some dangerous provocations about, let’s say, the super-rich champion of patriotism:

…the twice-impeached former president, now also a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist, demonstrated that, since leaving office, he has become only more vindictive and deranged.     

           from Commonwealth Newsletter

Donald Trump is spreading a dangerous mental illness to his supporters.                                

           from Raw Story Newsletter

…are ready to declare that President Trump, whose actions are often described with neutral terms like “unprecedented,” is in fact dangerously ill.    

            from a bunch of Yale psychiatrists

I could go on—there is no end to it.

But danger crosses party lines. Here are a few statements about, let’s say, the middle-class champion of the future:

Far from improving outcomes by “reimagining” public safety, Harris’ approach to law enforcement would endanger our communities, continue to imperil the law enforcement profession, and place the interests of law-abiding Americans squarely behind those of the criminally convicted.    

            from America First Policy Institute

…Harris was a dangerous authoritarian with an unlimited appetite for power who displayed contempt for the Constituton and no regard for the rights, dignity, faith, or reputations of anyone in her way.  

             from National Review

[Senator] Cotton added: “Kamala Harris is a dangerous liberal. She makes Joe Biden look competent and moderate by contrast.”    

              from The Guardian

Again, there is no end to the reproach. But opinions are just that, facts are facts, and the slant is obvious. As for the VP’s, let’s say, the backwoods boy and the old mega liberal: Not that Vance and Walz run in the danger-free lane, but considering their recent debate, maybe the presidential candidates should just stop talking and let their VPs address the public. Seriously, enough with the superfluous quips and the word salad.

Does this election matter? The whole world is in a heap, and the President of the United States can’t fix it. That’s no excuse to skip the vote. Maybe somebody can uphold the Constitution, for the present. Maybe life (all of it), liberty (without fear of oppression), and the pursuit of happiness (not to be denied or taken away) will stir another generation. Maybe there is someone who could preserve America’s standing in the world a little longer—one who might suppress the rousing of WWIII. Maybe economic disaster can be avoided. Maybe we can mend the slippery grasp on our property, our profit, our rights, and our freedom. Maybe. But I’m not putting my faith in it.

Nevertheless, my faith tells me to pray for our leaders, and, if possible, to live at peace with all people. That may, in dangerous times, become very difficult, but I choose to trust and obey. No matter the outcome.

Three Ways to Maneuver a Cultural Shift

 

Those of us who follow Christ are not traversing unaware into the post-Christian world. We’re only human, so at times we tend to recoil when suffering the in-your-face demands of those at the forefront of our changing society. My own views filter through the lens of the Western Church. As an American Christian, I grew up during the era when all the world believed this was the greatest country on earth. Or at least, we assumed they believed it. Now, people around the world, as well as those from among our own citizenship, no longer believe in America, or God. At times we feel they’ve shoved their rights, their goals, and their philosophies ahead of ours. So, how do we navigate the turmoil? Here are three ways to maneuver through the muck, rather than sink into it.

1     Remember who you are.

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:19

Yes, we are a part of the family of humanity. We’re earth dwellers, but this is not our home and we can’t expect everyone to like us, support our cause, or follow our rules. Before we were redeemed, we were just as lost as the angry, depraved people who’ve managed to frustrate us with their unrelenting demands. It doesn’t matter if we weren’t as bad, we were absolutely as lost. They can’t help but hate us, but we don’t have to return hatred to them. Let go of the frustration and show a little kindness. We might not stop a cultural shift, but we can still shine a light in the darkness.

2      Remember where your loyalty lies.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 
1 John 2:15-17

Okay, I’m proud to be an American. But it’s not my doing, so I don’t boast in it. God gave me life at a certain point in history, in a specific place. I’m not ungrateful. I simply don’t own it. The will of the people has at times throughout our history become ungodly, and yet God has blessed us. He chose to build this nation to increase His Kingdom, and from our shores the gospel has gone out across the world. For that reason, my pride rests more in Christ, and less in patriotism. That’s not to say I won’t stand up for what is right. For the time being, we still live in the Republic of the United States of America. I’ll still vote, pray for our leaders, and hope for our survival as a nation. But the things of this world will pass away.

3     Remember your destination.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 
Revelation 7: 9,10

The ultimate culture shifter is God. No matter how hard we fight for our rights, we will live or die by His sovereignty. He has determined right from wrong, and no amount of raging over the face of the earth will alter His opinion. The core of humanity is in a battle to create a new world for itself. But this is His world, past, present, and future. The world to come will be filled with a great number from all kinds of people whom He chose to redeem. They will come from every nation, tribe, and tongue. Every political affiliation? Every boundary-pushing movement? Will God redeem souls from among those who hate us? Who distort morality? From the loud, contemptuous public voices that cry out against Him? The shifters are in God’s hands, and He will do with them as He will. Does that mean He might use those of us who are redeemed to draw His adversaries to Himself? Of course, it does. Pray for your enemies. They could become your brothers and sisters.

Maneuvering the cultural shifts of this world might seem overwhelming, but if we’re standing on the right foundation, we will not be shaken. We are His. We’re loyal to His Kingdom. And we’ll soon be going home. Perhaps we need a shift in focus. The outlook of the Western Christian sometimes becomes “me” centered rather than Christ centered. But it isn’t our story. It’s His story. And this isn’t our battle. The battle is the Lord’s, our redeemer and refuge.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31