October 31, 2006

Number 44

 VIEWPOINT

Are you tired of political ads throughout a long campaign season?  Politicians face a certain amount of cynicism these days because of the greed and corruption of a few.  Nevertheless the political process itself does attempt to offer the possibility of change, the promise of a better tomorrow.  There are always moments of hope during these campaigns — moments that tap into the deeper aspirations of humankind.

Christians recognize that hope as a longing for some-thing deeper, higher, more noble . . . a longing for God.   But “conventional wisdom” focuses people’s hope on other things through campaign slogans and promises.  This “conventional wisdom” is always doomed to disappoint us.  Political efforts, even those based on the best human intentions, will inevitably fail us all — because they plant confidence in the human spirit, not the Holy Spirit.  Ulti-mately, the problems of this world are not political but spiritual in nature and they require spiritual solutions. No amount of human nobility can overcome our basic problem.  The Bible says, “The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.  They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no not one” (Psalm 14:2,3).

(This does not mean we should not bother to exercise wisdom in choosing the best leaders  we  can.   We ought  to seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance and vote accordingly, taking comfort that it is ultimately the Lord who “removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).  But in the end, the human longing for “something better” cannot be satisfied by any political party or politician.) 

Because Jesus the Lamb paid for our sin with His own blood, He is the only One who can provide genuine solutions to the deepest human predicaments.  No other leader is a redeemer.  Because Jesus purchased our salvation, His leadership will succeed where all others fail. He is our ultimate and rightful Ruler.  Our souls will remain uneasy until we find our home in Him who died and rose again.

With Jesus, all of the promises that address our deepest longings will come true.  The Bible is not just political rhetoric; it is the future as promised by the only One able to make it happen.  His is not conventional wisdom, but the greater wisdom of the Creator and Redeemer of all humanity. 

I am so grateful to God for choosing you and me to participate in His kingdom.  Aren’t you?

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“I can say that I never knew what joy was like until I gave up pursuing happiness, or cared to live until I chose to die. For these two discoveries I am beholden to Jesus.”  These word were spoken by Malcolm Muggeridge, and there is quite a bit of wisdom of in them.  Give it some thought. 

I look forward to seeing you Sunday with a Bible, a smile, and a positive word!                                                                                    RA