Uncertainty

By Bob Beanblossom

11 January 2021

It is an understatement to say that we in the United States are living in a time of uncertainty. Liberals are proclaiming the Great Reset that will usher in a new American utopia as conservatives lament the end of our constitutional democratic republic. Unlike many politicians, news commentators, entertainers and sports figures, and run of the mill social media experts, I don’t have access to the future. For me, it remains the future. I could worry about it and complain about the things that will be and place blame on folks I don’t know, but I don’t think that is what Jesus wants His followers to do.

It seems to me that Jesus’ message was clear: He is not only in control of the world and its events, but He cares about you and me as individuals:

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:26-30).

It’s not that we aren’t responsible for supporting ourselves and our families, “10 This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). This in no way contradicts the passage in Matthew 6. Paul is addressing a problem in the ancient church that sounds familiar today: “11 We hear that there some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies” (2 Thessalonians 3:11).

Let’s see if I can bring this together for us today.

  1. God is in charge. Period. “21 He (God) changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” (Daniel 2:21).
  2. My assignment is to:
    1. “1 first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
    2. My prayer is not to change policy or procedure, but to see the souls of those leaders brought to Christ: “4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth” (1 Timothy 2:5)
    3. “11 study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Remember that these admonitions were made to First Century Christians were being persecuted and killed by both Jews and the Roman government.
    4. He reinforced this message: “8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:8). Despise here is broadly applied. It means to set aside the will of the leaders, to reject, even to frustrate that will by whatever means may be at hand. Remember, God ordained and established government to provide and preserve order, even though that government may be as corrupt as man himself is. Remember Point 1: God is in charge.

Why would He say that? Why the apparent disregard for the lives of His followers? We are finite and cannot understand the mind of our infinite God. But He has revealed some key concepts.

  1. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23): Christians are but sinners saved by faith through the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8).
  2. This is the most important point: God’s perspective is eternal: “46 And these (the unsaved) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46).

Each of is bound by time. We each have some 24 hours in every day. God fully expects us to engage in those activities necessary to sustain ourselves and our families: “17 God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work” (Ecclesiastes 3:17). But overindulging any one of those things takes limited time away from our mandate to engage our world as we present the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). Our finite activities that interrupt our witness carries the potential of a lost soul missing the chance to be saved.

This is not a popular position in the nation of strong opinions and self-reliant (we think) lifestyles. Think of it this way: history clearly shows that governments and their rulers come and go, but sin and hell are eternal. The solution for sin is not to be found in government but in Christ alone. As Scripture shows, we are to be good husbands and wives, parents, and citizens in our communities, remembering always that our permanent citizenship is heavenly, and our vocation is service to Him (Ephesians 4) in love according to the grace that He gives each of His followers. I suggest you take the time to read Ephesians 4 on a regular basis. It doesn’t take long, but the impact it has on your life may surprise you.

The remedy for the unrest we feel is Christ alone; the solution for our crumbling Nation is Christ alone. It was not reasonable for Caligula or Nero to rule as a Christian would; it is no more reasonable to expect our elected and appointed leaders who are not Christians to do so. This is certainly not to suggest that your witness and mine will solve all the problems we face. Remember what Jesus said:

“32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:32-33).

The First Century persecution that the church faced caused the scattering of its members as well as many other hardships and even death. From that, the church grew throughout the western world. He always had a purpose for allowing the enemies of Israel to overthrow them and take them into bondage. We should not be dishonest enough to call America a Christian nation, but we should recognize the unparalleled opportunities God has given us since the founding of our country to spread the Gospel. The challenge now is to recognize those opportunities as having eternal consequences against the temporary benefits of political and social “solutions.”

“7 If My people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

This is, of course, a promise to Israel, but with application for us in the United States today. The promise is preceded by four conditions in the “if” statement. All four are required before the promise can be granted. The promise is three-fold: First is approval from heaven; second is the forgiveness of sin; and the last is to heal the land.

Do you really want the peace that comes from a constitutional democratic republic operated by responsible Christians? Do you care enough to humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face (His will), and turn from your wicked ways? This applies to each American individually. I include myself in this question. Time will tell. History shows clearly that God’s patience has limits.

A parting thought from God:

“1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;” (Isaiah 65:1-3).