Faith Needed

A hot issue these days is that the President pushed demonstrators aside on Tuesday (6/2) in order to visit St. John’s Church which was partly burned on Sunday (5/31).  Upon leaving he stood in front of the church sign and held up a Bible.  What a ruckus ensued!  Why?

Regardless of the methods or the motives associated with that event, there is a very important point to consider which is the role of faith in all this mess – mess being COVID and the riots with looting (Note: not about the peaceful protests).  I think part of the outrage over the President doing what he did was that he, the government’s face, dared to bring church and the Bible into view.  The hardcore separation of church and state people cannot tolerate such a picture.

Over and over we hear about science – that we have to follow the science.  Or, we hear that we have to listen to the experts – the CDC or Dr. Fauci.  Or that we are to do as our governor directs.

Over and over we hear about policing or curfews or rights as means to address our problems.

What is not heard – in fact, never heard – is anything about faith.

Now, we all know the country is on the wrong trajectory.

We all know that something is wrong and something needs fixed.

We all know that we are in trouble.

And the solution?

What is pushed forward as the answer to our malaise is science or the wisdom of the elites or majority rule or money – oh, sure you can fix a multitude of problems with HUGE stimulus packages!  Sure, that’s an answer – one that doesn’t and can’t work.

The country’s problem is a heart issue and the answer is God, church, faith, and the Bible which are never – never noted in the United States these days.

[As I wrote recently about the breakdown of social life with the removal of the Ten Commandments and due to the silence about the God of wrath, justice and Hell and then a couple of musings ago I suggested that as a nation we are not very Christian even at our best.  This event further affirms our denial of God and rejection of His truth in our national life.]

My sermons this month are from I Peter 4:7-11 where God instructs His followers (we Christians) to be diligent in prayer (looking to and talking to Him), passionate for each other thus setting aside trivial matters, helping those needy or troubled (hospitality), diligent in study of the Bible to know God’s direction and fixes, serving one another, and desiring that God be pleased for in such, God will bless.  We as Christians are charged to do these things.  We can show and tell that those around us might do these things.  If our country would do such things – you and I both know that goodness, joy, and peace would ensue.

The one thing we need is the one thing not said and, too often, not even thought – God!  I wonder how many of the rioters and looters are in church any given Sunday.  What about those directing us through the COVID crisis or the riot mess?  We have booted God out and then wonder why things are going south.

The President standing in front of a church holding up a Bible should be a reminder of what we have abandoned and what we need.