FaithWalkDaily January 9. 2009
Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3 "Let us break their chains," they cry,"and free ourselves from this slavery." ~Psalms 2:1-3I love God's timeless Word. What was true in King David's time has been true through every age and every war - it is still true today as we battle with the middle east in what is essentially a holy war.
The world is a many faceted gem. What we see is only from U.S. soil. While we read the news and get word of what's happening on the other side of the world, what we learn is written by those from our culture, written from an American perspective. Whether coming from a liberal or conservative point of view, it's still coming from an American who lives in the safest, freest, most wealthy nation in the world. We see through somewhat rose-colored glasses.
Suppose your view of the war in Iraq was from Africa, a land of oppression; Ireland, a land embroiled in it's own age-old holy war; Australia, Iraq's ally and a passive people; or China with trading ships in the Persian Gulf. Your thoughts and feelings would be much different about this war if you were a citizen of another nation. Each country also views through the lens of their leaders. We don't any of us know all that goes on, or all that's going to happen, because there are many secrets kept by our leaders for our own good.
As we saw in the first Psalm, living in alignment with God's plan brings peace and joy in one's life. The wicked will ultimately fall. Nothing really changes much in our world. If we align ourselves with God, rely on His strength and promises, put our trust and hope in Him, we will prevail. Those who have felt enslaved by the freedom of our faith are looking through dirty lenses. They do not realize that in surrendering to Jesus, true freedom awaits.
As Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:27-28
We can be grateful that we live in the greatest nation in the world; we are the children of God. Wherever we call home on planet earth, our home, our true nation, is in the heavenly realms because of our Savior. The blood of Jesus was spilled for people of every color and every nation, that we become one nation under God, free forever from the bondage of sin.
Heavenly Father, we don't pretend to understand all that goes on in this world. The ways of man are not the ways of God. We bicker amongst ourselves even neighbor to neighbor about what's best for our country, our children, our freedom. You are sovereign and holy, all wise and all powerful. May our trust be in You alone. May the leaders of our nation, who are taking office at a volatile time in our history, seek Your wisdom and guidance to protect not only our borders but the very foundations upon which those perimeters are defined. Lord we lift up today Barak Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Robert Gates, Timothy Geithner, Tom Daschle, Eric Holder, Janet Napolitano, Susan Rice, Steven Chu, Lisa Jackson, Shaun Donovan, Arne Duncan, Ken Salazar, Tom Vilsack, Leon Panetta and all our state representatives, that You would hold them in Your mighty hands, pour out Your wisdom into their hearts and minds, turn their eyes toward You to fulfill Your plans for our nation. Grant each Christian the heart and wisdom to pray for them, be active in sharing our godly hopes, desires and dreams with our state representatives, and that we not stand passively complaining about what they do or don't do according to what we think is right. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
