By Pastor Doug Cox

“Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit, whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:13-14)

These words from the Apostle James are very sobering especially after the recent attempt on former President Trump’s life at a Butler, Pennsylvania Republican rally. He came within an inch of losing his life. At the very moment the bullets were fired, he turned to look at some graphics on a screen, otherwise, a bullet would have entered his head right in front of the entire nation. Thankfully the grace of God spared him and our nation from an entirely different fate and outcome.

As to whether it was total incompetency or a conspiracy by government agencies that almost cost Trump his life, I will spare you my opinions, except that it was very strange that one Secret Service agent couldn’t even holster her pistol after drawing it. She looked the part, wearing dark sunglasses and a dark pants suit, but she obviously lacked training and was just playing a part. That is something we as followers of Christ don’t want. Instead, we want to be active agents of faith, hope and love, doing more than looking the part but living it. We must pray the will of God into politics and government as well as the realm of the spirit, because there are two sides to every coin.

In John 10:10 we find the words of Jesus. He says “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” No doubt Satan would have gloried in the death of a powerful political leader who in the past has stood on the side of issues that represent life. Multitudes of his avid supporters would have been devastated and rightly so, had he been taken out. We would have plunged into darkness and confusion, the devil’s stomping ground. Thankfully that did not happen, but wait, the devil still has another option, and the devil never quits.

The other side of the coin is that because Trump was spared, the devil will now try to get him and the Republican party another way, through the spirit of pride. Rightfully, there was great adulation when Donald Trump walked into the RNC the first night with a bandaged ear. It was truly a time for celebration because this man’s life was spared from death. God spared him and Trump acknowledged as much. However, going forward he must continue to remember that.

So let’s pray that he walks in humility and continues to give God the glory He deserves, because the devil knows that even though a rifle bullet didn’t take him out, a pride bullet can. James tells us that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

So, let’s pray that the church will keep humility unholstered. May we cooperate with God as we pray for our nation. Let’s pray that our elected officials will humble themselves, be truthful and be the servants of the people that they are supposed to be. Let’s pray that Donald J. Trump will be bold and strong but also humble. That he will not take any glory that belongs to God, otherwise he will not just be fighting a political adversary, but God Himself.