From the Pastor's Desk

“It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.” (Psalm 118:8-9, NASB)

Well, it has been quite a week already! My guess is that some of you may be relieved, relaxed, and pleased while others of you may be distraught, anxious, and displeased. The last several election cycles have become increasingly contentious and the rift in our beloved nation feels quite foreign to me; bewildering.

I remember not long after landing at PDX and settling to a new life in America, that circumstances in my newly adoptive country were not favorable. Gas prices were rising, and what gas was available was running out. Reports of stations with gas had long lines and those in line, sometimes for hours, were just hoping there would be some left by the time they reached the pumps.

There was also something always on the news about the Iranians and the American hostages they had taken, threatening to kill them…some talk in all of that about some sort of embargo, whatever that was. I also recall my father, watching the news every evening, intently. From him I learned that Jimmy Carter was to blame for all of it. I don’t remember exactly the timeline, but sometime during this “peanut farmer’s” presidency, as my dad disdainfully called him, was also to blame for the blunder of Three Mile Island.

It is a reality for unbelievers to believe that powerful men, political figures, and folks in office actually have history altering power and influence in the timeline of History. Indeed, they must, because if powerful men, kings, and princes of the land do not, there is great distress. “Who is running things? Who is looking out for me? Who is providing for my family and me? If I can just get my guy on the throne, surely my circumstances would improve, because this current guy is not that good!”

Even believers may be tempted to believe that one man (or woman) in power will change everything. The psalmist of 118 is was “in distress” (v.5). He felt so surrounded, ambushed by enemies all around who swarmed him like bees (v.10-12). Yet in his condition of distress and anxiety, the first thing out of his mouth (pen) was, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good…His steadfast love endures forever” (v.1, 3). The amazing thing for us and uncomprehensible for the unbeliever is that in the midst of national and global uncertainty and tension, we can be at peace and exercise faith in our God who is actually the One who reigns. The Scriptures tell us that there is only one Sovereign; by definition there can only be one. Our Creator God is the one who directs the events of human history, “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3).

The Bible also tells us that our God may be trusted, “Good and upright is the LORD…” (Psalm 25:8). Because of these simple yet powerful truths, the psalmist teaches us that “It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.”

This means that if you are despairing because of the election results, you are instructed to turn your hope and trust in the Almighty, not the Somewhatmighty. If you are delighting because of the elections results, you are corrected to hope not in a man or party, but in the Lord who works all things according to the counsel of His will. Christ will bring all things to culmination at the time set by the Father, until then, we are to set our affections and hope on our Lord Jesus and do what we can to exert godly, loving, humble influence in our own generation.

Yours for our Lord,