This week (May 26, 2024) has been another one of national turmoil. Much of it is rooted in politics. Members of both parties claim that if the other party wins the election in November, it will end democracy. Meanwhile, we have observed so much deplorable behavior by elected officials of both political parties that it has, I hope, removed any temptation for the Christian to find identity in either one. If I may, I would like to (perhaps immodestly) quote myself, “Can any political party genuinely claim a lock on the Kingdom of God? Be careful— churches who marry political parties today become widows tomorrow. We are God’s people. We do not bow down before any political party.”
While the church can elect or fire public servants, we cannot change their hearts. We can only change our own. That is why I recommend that we pray for revival and supply God with the kind of heart to inspire him to bring revival through us.
I am neither naive nor ignorant. I realize that government and public policy are important. When either one is bad, the consequences can make life miserable quickly. But if the church is not careful, it can put all of its eggs in the government/policy basket, which would prove disastrous.
A person can be aligned with Jesus and suffer from bad physical health. I would not want that life. On the other hand, a person can enjoy marvelous physical health without having Jesus. I would not want that life either.
For a nation to have any hope of abundant life, it needs citizens who are, first and foremost, committed to Jesus. We don’t have that right now in the United States. Some citizens outrightly follow Satan and don’t mind who knows it. At least they eliminated the mystery. For decades, I have known people who claim to follow Jesus but secretly follow the influence of the Evil One—often without knowing it themselves. (See the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:19ff.)
There are also a number of Christians who spend the bulk of their time thinking about and pursuing their political objectives. This is one reason the United States is in such a mess.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer is addressing a group of Christians who have lost heart. (Compared to what we enjoy today, it is easy to see why they are discouraged.) One admonition stands out of all the advice and encouragement found in that letter: go back to the cross.
See the work that Jesus did there and ponder what it accomplished. Allow Jesus’ work to inspire you. This is good advice that holds up today.
You can find calls for revival in the Old Testament as well. And I will end with one from Hosea,
1 “Come, let us return to the Lord;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hos. 6:1-3.)
I’m Mark Edge; thanks for reading.
You can purchase Mark’s new book Holy Chaos How To Walk with God in a Frenzied World here: