Drop Outs

I was just thinking about - - -

News and current events is being dominated by political debate and the aspirations of those seeking the office of President of the United States. Some of the candidates have begun to "drop out", but one wonders why they ever decided to "drop in"! Some of their views were mind-boggling - from one who has seen UFOs to the somewhat "flim-flam" of another who has supported "liberal" causes and points of view attempting to convince a "conservative" base that he is really one of them. It reminds one of the somewhat trite saying: "Are you going to believe what I am saying or what your lying eyes are seeing?"

The Brothers Grimm identified their representations as "fables". Today, we are told that it is political conviction and core value. The bottom line in all of this is believability - what one is hearing, is it accepted as being true representation of what the Candidate believes, has practiced, and will implement if elected. The redeeming fact in all of this is the Sovereignty of God and the reality that He is totally in control of all things.

In Daniel 2:20-23, King Nebuchadnezzar had a perplexing dream and wanted an understanding of its meaning. Of all those who were assumed to have "wisdom", none could satisfy the King's quest for meaning. Then Daniel is summoned: "Daniel answered and said: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter..." The key phrase is: "HE removes kings and HE sets up kings..."

Another important fact is recorded in Proverbs 21:1-3, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice..." We can move blithely along in our nation. Obviously, all too many have sought to remove "God" from the public square and as a subject for public discourse. When will we come to our senses and realize that God is relevant and must be a part of our history, culture and lifestyle?

A sad and obvious truth pertains to the heritage of this nation. In Washington, DC - the historic monuments make mention of the consciousness of God throughout the various phases and periods of our history - until two of the more recently erected Memorials. The FDR and the Viet Nam Memorials omit and ignore the reality and dependence upon the Almighty God and offer no reference point to the foundational commitment of this as "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

A question that needs to be pondered and perused is: Why have the Media chosen to single out that one candidate is a Mormon, another a Christian leader, another with Methodist leanings, another with some Baptist inclinations, and yet another with a view of variance that has no connection to a definable spiritual statement of faith or commitment. The only "evangelical" and one who professes to be a "born-again" follower of Jesus Christ, is dissed by the media and political pundits. They choose to misrepresent how and why he governed as he did. At the same time, he is shrugged off by the Christian community as being some kind of an anomaly. Those who supposedly are the "watch-dogs" for the "Christian Right" are strangely silent. Vacillation seems to be the standard on this day and hour.

We need to have some old-fashioned gumption in this important hour of American History, and period where we need to have clearly defined purpose and mission for our world.

Think about it - and - pray earnestly.