Putting Us In Our Place

July 22, 2008

It’s that time again. The press and airwaves are dominated by news and gossip about the upcoming election. The media is fascinated by this event every four years, almost as if it were a new phenomenon and this our first experience in electing a president. As I am somewhat interested in politics myself, I find that I get caught up in it, too.

Our country places a great deal of focus on the person who sits in the Oval Office. This fascination is sometimes misplaced, and people tend to credit the position with more power than the office really holds. The president often has little power to make things happen independently – that is the reason our government has three branches to keep power in check. But we don’t always see it that way. Our society tends to rally around the presidential nominees as the savior of our nation for the next four years.

Of course, the Bible puts all of this in perspective. Psalm 9:19-20 says. “Arise, O Lord, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, O Lord; let the nations know they are but men.”

In a world where men continually wish to be the ruler and the final power, we are reminded that God is ultimately the One who can save us, and lead us into peace and prosperity. Our society clings to the concept of humanism, just as men have done through the ages. Humanism is not a new concept – men have been trying to save themselves since the beginning of time. It springs from the desire of man to be in charge, and ignore the idea that God is the real ruler of the universe.

We “are but men”, and always will be in this life. If the people of our nation would raise Him to a position above all else, we would continue to live under His blessing. This is a clear theme in the Bible. God bestows His grace on those who recognize and honor Him, but those who choose to set themselves above Him are led into captivity. I fear for our nation. This country was founded by men who feared God, who educated their children themselves using the Bible as the starting point, and who recognized that man is not powerful enough to be his own salvation. But now, we are a people who focus on one man to dispense justice, create wealth and blessing, and decide what is the new right and wrong. If we would humbly pause, bow to God, acknowledge that His wisdom is greater than ours, and pray for His leading, God will set us on the right course again, and the blessing of the Lord Almighty would once again be poured out on our nation. Give God the glory, and His providence will be given.

Psalm 10:16-18 – “The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”

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