A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

Psalms 127:1, NIV

Like you, I have been watching the events of the past two years with some skepticism. We have had bad times of an extreme that haven't been seen during most of our lifetimes and it seems quite convenient that those in positions of power have not only become more powerful during these unsettled times, but have also become quite wealthy. It frustrates us to see things that cause the suffering of the many, yet enriches and empowers the few. And while many of the "bad times" events seem unrelated, they also seem quite pleasantly beneficial to those with a lust for power and money. It seems too convenient to me, but maybe I am just a skeptic at heart and I have to admit that I could be wrong about my suspicions of those who seem to benefit the most from the suffering of others.

However, as a student of history, there is one thing that I can say for a certainty: Our nation was not founded by men and women such as we have in power today. Our nation was demonstrably founded by a people who loved God and who loved freedom, and did so in that order. The shocking lack of calls for prayers for our Creator's assistance by our current leaders speaks volumes to me. Has there ever been a time in the history of our nation, whether times of sickness or depression or war, in which our leaders and the masses did not turn to God in prayer?

For that matter, when was the last time you heard God's name used in a sincere manner by a politician or a newsperson? Yet in the last two years we have been beset by a deathly illness, a worldwide financial crisis and, sadly, now war. Now I realize that it is quite convenient to blame our leaders for all of this godlessness, but I must point out that we the people are responsible for putting them in positions of power. And, we are responsible to take them out of power, in a righteous way I might add, whenever they become too wicked to rule anymore.

I believe the problems that we face are not insurmountable, but they can only be overcome with God's help. Are we asking for that help? Further, have we repented of our own shortcomings in order that we might even have the right to humbly beseech Him for that help? Or have we been trying to do it all on our own through ideas that don't even involve God or, even more often, by not even doing anything other than complaining? You see the truth is, just as in the time that Solomon wrote the psalm above, that unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

It's time to leave these vain works (and wicked leaders from both political parties) behind. It may seem a daunting task(and it is), but it is not impossible. For the eternal truth also stands that there is no plan that can succeed against God. And when I look at it as honestly as I know how, I believe that we have all had a hand in putting in the leaders who have been working against the LORD.

One final thought: Our nation is worth saving and, more importantly, our God is worth serving. The only question that remains is do we have the courage and the love to do both?

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Proverbs 21:30