Untied or United

By Pastor Doug

Today Joe Biden was inaugurated President of the United States of America. I have to wonder what it means? What will become of our nation? Well at least many will be happy the bad man with the orange hair won’t be able to tweet anymore, thinking that should fix things. If only our problems were that simple to solve. I have listened to preachers talk about how we need to stay away from politics and just stick with the gospel. I once thought that way but am now under the impression that is why we are where we are at right now, living in a nation confused about identity and ending prayers with ‘a woman.’ Besides that, the last time I looked in my Bible (and that was this morning) it still says that Christians are to be light and salt to the world, to let their light shine before men and specifically, don’t hide your light under a bushel.

Back to my two questions about what does a Biden presidency mean and what will become of our nation? Any sound minded Christian knows the answer to that is it’s up to God and his church. Leaving aside the dismissed arguments of fair elections and manipulated Constitution law by rogue politicians, ‘we are at where we are at.’ The decree has been issued.

Thankfully, thoughts of Daniel’s captivity came to mind earlier today. Until then I didn’t know what to write about. I felt empty and I knew more venting and expressing anger about injustice wouldn’t help anything. I even thought about canceling the idea of writing anything. Then I remembered cancel culture is the new thing and there is no way I’m going to do it for them. Thankfully through the Holy Spirit’s promptings, the influence of a long ago Daniel came to mind to get me to stop nursing my wounded feelings and get to work.

I thought of how Daniel found himself in a situation that was worse than anything I’ve ever gone through. His new residence as a captive was in a hostile foreign country, under a hostile regime that was getting ready to reprogram him. But Daniel responded this way. He “… purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

The simple lesson for today is this. Daniel kept his head and used it to work in a wise way with authorities that were over him. (Calling them names would have gotten him nowhere fast). His stableness of mind helped him to preserve his faith. He didn’t waver in compromise throughout his entire seventy or more years of captivity/ministry.

Another lesson is this. It is our choice to where we go from here and what we do. We will either be held captive by bitterness and resentment or ministers of the gospel in this new setting we find ourselves in. A different presidency doesn’t mean we can’t take any more ground. Let’s walk in love and stand for truth and lean on the Lord and each other.

Bonus thought: The words united and untied both have the same letters. Had I not noticed I would have sent out this article saying that Joe Biden was inaugurated as President of the Untied States of America. Friends that is exactly what the devil wants. He wants us to come unraveled and give up. Now is the time to be stronger than ever in our faith and stand for what we believe and who we believe in.