GOD HAS A PURPOSE or (A FOLLOW-UP TO MY PLEA)

(If you have not read “A PLEA TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST”, that would be recommended before reading this response and continuation.)

Wow! I was amazed at the response to my last blog. I really appreciate all of you who took the time to let me know what you thought and some even re-posting it. So many of you shared how much it helped and ministered to you. Of course I have heard from some of you who are wrestling with my conclusions or are in total disagreement. I fully expected this and truly understand where you are coming from.  I really enjoy having to grapple with complicated issues like this one. It keeps me on my toes mentally and spiritually and I really need that kind of exercise at my age. Thank you.

A FEW POINTS OF CLARIFICATION

First of all, I think Christians should run for public office if they believe the Lord is calling them to that. There is no question in my mind that God wants His people influencing the culture and being light in the darkness wherever they can. Secondly, I did not intend to imply that Christians should never vote or that I would never vote again. It may have come across that way, and I apologize for that. I did say that I had decided not to vote in this particular presidential election for the reasons I set forth in the blog. (I have been influenced otherwise by some of you and I will say more about that at the end.)

MY MOTIVATION

I had titled the first blog, “MY PLEA TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…” because of the attitudes and perspectives on this election that have taken over our Country. Like I said, I’ve never seen us more polarized. I saw it influencing my own heart, as well as the hearts of a great majority of believers and non-believers alike. There is this fear and even panic that if we don’t get the right person in the White House it’s all over; our country is toast; it’s Armageddon now.  Believe me when I say I truly understand why so many of us feel that way, I have in the past and even now wrestle with that fear often. But I must be honest with you, I don’t think it’s from God, and I felt I had to express my concern over this kind of fear and panic in relation to a Christian worldview. That was my central motivation for writing the blog.

GOD HAS A PURPOSE

I’ve started writing a book under the title: God has a Purpose. In His sovereign providence He has a purpose for every person, place and thing on the planet. He has a purpose for the United States (and every other nation). If we believe our God is sovereign over all things and has a purpose for all things we should regularly ask the question, “What is God up to in this situation or that event; this trial or that blessing?” I love to ask that question of the Lord and prayerfully wait for what He might teach me or show me.

But we must always remember that all of the Lord’s reasons for what He brings to pass fall under His one ultimate, overarching purpose: That mankind would know Him, be in relationship with Him and worship Him for who He really is. In John 17:3 Jesus prays to His Father, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus whom you have sent.”  I believe all of God’s other purposes serve this great purpose.

WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE IN THIS ELECTION?

What might God be up to in this election mess? Does He have a purpose in all the cynicism that has infected Americans concerning politics? I know many of you are like me. I have put optimistic hope in our political system for a very long time. I have voted all of my life for conservative, pro-life candidates. What is the result? After all these years nothing seems to change. The slow and steady spiritual/moral decline that “suppresses the truth in unrighteousness” marches on. Right or wrong, this is why it’s so hard for me to hope in this process to take us in the direction that I believe to be Godly and Biblical. I’m sure a lot of you can really identify with my frustration.

But what if our disappointment is the Lord’s intention? Perhaps it’s the Lord’s purpose to use a dysfunctional political system to make us turn our hope more towards Him. Perhaps he is trying to demonstrate to His children, in a deeper way, the futility and irrationality of hoping in the ways of man. Maybe He’s using these times to call us to take hold of Proverbs 3:5 where we are told, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding (like, the future depends on who lives in the White House). Perhaps His purpose is to prepare us for what He knows lies ahead. Maybe He is lovingly shaking our confidence in man and his ways so we might get a better grip on Him as the only object of our hope because He knows we will soon need Him in ways we never have before.

WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR AMERICA?

I’m convinced that God’s ultimate purpose for our nation is much bigger and quite different from our list of hopeful outcomes as a result of this election.

Think about just a few of the issues with me:

*As much as we want to make and keep our economy strong and growing, does that fit God’s ultimate purpose for the people of this country? Some of the most amazing Christians I’ve ever met live in extremely humble circumstances depending daily on their Lord for every provision. I don’t think we realize how detrimental our great prosperity is to our spiritual health and growth.

*We highly value security and safety in this country to the point of idolatry. God’s great purpose might require a greater and greater shattering of our security and safety.  What if the Lord wants to deliver us from this idol, and all the fear that accompanies it, and teach us to say, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7) or “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” the Lord of power is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress (protection). (Psalm 46:10-11)

*And most importantly, all of us who Love the Lord, long for God’s ultimate purpose to become a reality. We want to see a revival in our land; a turning of our nation toward the living God. But, what if this ultimate purpose of God can’t be accomplished through prayer or great sermons or voting for the right person?

Let me share a well-known revival passage with you: “…if my people, who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” This comes from 2 Chronicles 7:14. Many of us have prayed to our God for decades using the promise of this verse. Why is God not hearing our prayer?  Notice something very important, we have conveniently begun reading from the middle of the sentence. Listen to what precedes the promise, as God spoke it to King Solomon in the middle of the night, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people…” Did you hear that? God said that He would judge His people by sending drought and starvation and disease. That is a heck of a challenge to the theology of most of us. But notice, it is only when God sends forth His corrective judgments and in the midst of those judgments that He says, “…if my people…pray…seek my face…turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear…forgive their sin and heal their land.”

So, what if God can’t bring His ultimate purpose to America and especially to His people through praying, preaching, and voting? What if we are beyond that? Maybe, as those who claim to be followers of Jesus, we aren’t quite what we think we are in relation to where the Lord wants to take us. Maybe God has not answered our prayers for the healing of our land because we have not held up our end of the bargain. Maybe we’ve cried out to Him in prayer, but have we really sought His face?  Do we have a real desire to turn from our wicked ways, or have we become a people who no longer tremble at His Word and therefore sear our consciences by justifying our sins.

If we are in the “birth-pangs” of God’s judgment on this nation there is purpose in what is transpiring around us. And when God is working it is always to a very good purpose. But, make no mistake, when God sets out to judge a nation it is never pretty. It means difficulty of such a degree that it causes one of two things in a person’s life: one either clings even more doggedly to their idolatry or, one runs into the shelter of The Most High God, and is changed in glorious, God honoring ways. My brothers and sisters, this is not a bad thing. The Lord’s disciplinary judgments will separate the true from the false, the wheat from the tares and make His anemic, distracted church faithful and strong again.

Maybe you have heard that there are many believers in persecuted countries that pray for us, their brothers and sisters in the Western church, that we would experience some persecution. They have an understanding of the biblical teaching that trials and suffering have a direct correlation to intimacy with Christ and deep spiritual growth.

CONCLUSION

I have no doubt that God is going to bring revival to this nation, I'm just not sure it's going to come about the way we usually envision it. Therefore, my plea to the church is that we think a bit deeper about what God’s purpose might be for this nation and His church in these very interesting times.

I will leave you with this passage from (1 Peter 4:12-19):

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed…if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

Whether you are able to see through my biblical lens or not I hope this helps you as you seek the Lord for yourself concerning these interesting days in which we find ourselves.

P.S. I mentioned at the beginning that I have heard the admonition of some of you exhorting me to vote and I have reconsidered. I will vote, because I cannot deny the exercise of that valuable right. I cannot find the Lord’s peace, however, in voting for any of the major candidates. I will be writing in a very special candidate indeed.

I so appreciate you taking the time to read my words. I would love to hear your feedback. Blessings!