WHEN WE HOLD ONLY TO THE HAND OF GOD

WHEN WE HOLD ONLY TO THE HAND OF GOD

            This morning, as with most mornings over the past year, I opened my computer and looked at the daily news. In a primary season preceding a national presidential election I am generally skeptical of what I may find. Stories are abundant but not always hopeful and scandalous though not always true. Every news source hungers for our attention and seems willing to do whatever is necessary to capture it. One source recently plastered the headline “Jim Carrey Died” which proved to be bogus. While yet another shocked the world with news of Prince’s actual death. People are shocked and understandably saddened over certain events in our world. However, it is not often that a news release strips hope from the heart.

            This morning’s headline, “Sudden exit stuns Cruz supporters” will most likely do just that. Most never imagined even the possibility. John Kasich was seen by many, myself as well, as being the reason for such a lopsided primary. Many felt that if he withdrew early on it would have been a tight race with a real possibility of Cruz winning handily. We had hope. The Republican Party had the hope of turning things around if one man would have used a little common sense. America had hope “if” a true Constitutionalist was finally given charge of the White House. And Christianity had the hope of remaining free in this great country if only the right man was elected.

            Maybe we could, and should, learn a lesson from Israel. They were so upset because all of the nations they knew anything about were thriving under the hand of a great king; a supposition, not a reality. They believed that if only God would allow them a king things would be better. Under their current situation God was their supreme ruler and they were trusting solely to His hand. But they wanted a king, a strong king. They wanted someone they felt was valiant. They wanted a warrior to ride before them into battle and defeat their enemies. They had a false image of what it would be like if just the right man, one who stood head and shoulders above all others, would become their king. They were no longer satisfied holding only to the hand of God for their provision. So, in 1Samuel 8:7 we read, “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people…for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

            Israel, like America today, believed the right man could change everything. And God foresaw those changes, 1Samuel 8:11-20 “And (God) said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots…. (.13) And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. (v.14) And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. (v.15) And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants….(v.17) He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (v.18) And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. (v.19) Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; (v.20) that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” When our leader is a man we have no hope. It is when we have only the hand of God to provide for us and to lead us that we have hope. God is infallible and immutable, He never changes and He desires to meet all of our needs (Matt. 6:33; 7:7; John 16:24)

            In this election cycle I fear that too many of us have been hoping for a Saul. We have mistakenly thought that the right man could change laws and institute programs that will give us hope. But man is only man. The rapid degradation of society has been sounding the death knell of this once great nation for many years now. And America will not be changed in Washington, D.C. by a political leader, regardless of stature. Only a true Holy Spirit outpouring, a nationwide revival where men are broken with repentance, will change this nation. Hope will not come by a political leader.

            America can find hope when we take our eyes off men; when we stop turning to broken, helpless, frail men for our hope. America will be great again and filled with true hope, so that “…there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10) when we hold only to the hand of God for our hope.