The Remarkable Goodness of God

Prejudice has incredible power over the human mind. This power often distorts reality and causes us to think contrary to the way things really are. Nowhere is this more the case than in the realm of politics. People seem incapable of acknowledging anything good or praiseworthy in that which is not of their party, which ever party that may be. Recognizing that, I realize a definite risk in writing this particular article. Moreover, it is my personal conviction that pastors should stay away from partisan politics in their public discourse. They should, however, not be silent on moral and spiritual issues.

With that said, I confess to a profound gratitude to God for the courage and conviction of our President to speak about the place of religion and freedom of religious expression in his recent trip to China. For those of us who know that Jesus Christ is Lord and that His Lordship is the only way of life, righteousness, and peace for any person or people, it is exhilarating beyond measure to have a President who apparently knows this reality also. His political party is irrelevant, as is our personal agreement with him on every position. The fact is that we are in a much safer condition as a nation if we have a leader whose heart and conscience are governed by the Gospel of Christ.

Such a leader will be controlled by convictions of righteousness and justice. Those who disagree with him will fare better because he is committed to righteousness. He will also be controlled by the determination to be merciful to those who are truly needy. At the same time, faith in the reign of Christ will enable him to be courageous in the face of danger and crisis. Has that not been apparent in the present national crisis? Confidence that God rules over all and works His holy will in the affairs of men and nations, emboldens a man to do and say what is right trusting God to protect and bless. Without such confidence, leaders are easily manipulated by fear and pressure to accommodate in a futile effort to control the outcome in the way they construe to be best. This inevitably brings ruin. Blessed is the nation whose leaders are determined to do what is right and to trust God for success.

God's goodness to us at this point in our national history is frankly surprising given our recent moral trends. It is a profound testimony to the fact that He is merciful and that He answers the prayers of His people.