In my quiet time this morning, I was feeling heartbroken that one of the new president’s first acts was to reverse a ban on the use of federal dollars by non-governmental organizations that discuss or provide abortions outside of the United States. First of all, why should my federal tax dollars be used to provide abortions elsewhere in the world? It’s bad enough that my tax dollars go to support countless abortions here in the US.
On the White House web site, the new president has also set his agenda, which includes (among many other things) principles for how to discuss faith in a pluralistic society, including the need for religious people to translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values during public debate.
On the surface, this look benign, but I fear it will be used in other ways. It means, in a public forum, a Christian (or a person of any other faith) is supposed to leave his values at the door. But everyone is defined by what they believe in and don’t believe in. I don’t have to mention the Lord’s name, and yet it is because of Jesus that I do or don’t do certain things, that I believe some things are right and other things are wrong. Now it seems that the goal is to silence people of faith….
It’s discouraging, wondering if the day is coming when Christians will have to meet secretly in the land of the free and home of the brave, just as they have to meet secretly in China.
Then I read Psalm 3, and in the study notes of my Bible, it said: “This psalm laments that the expectations raised by Psalms 1–2 have not been met. But even when beset by enemies, godly people need not question the Lord’s just dealings. Rather, they can confidently trust his goodness and expect God to rescue them.”
Ah, peace. The confidence to lay down and sleep, trusting in the Lord. His promises are what I will hold to. I will trust Him to bring about justice in this fallen, broken world. Victory comes from the Lord and not from any government. I will press in to Jesus and I will press on in following Him and His teachings. Hallelujah and Amen.
Psalm 3
O Lord, I have so many enemies;
so many are against me.
So many are saying,
“God will never rescue him!”
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept,
yet I woke up in safety,
for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
who surround me on every side.
Arise, O Lord!
Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O Lord.
May you bless your people.
