Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2024 Blog #5
January 29, 2024
Politics and Fear
The headlines are full of our nation’s political contest. I now read more analysis of the various state primary elections than I do of the war in Ukraine or the war in Gaza. I never thought that anything could push these two wars off the top of the news reports, but the elections have.
This past week I heard that Joe Biden had won the primary in New Hampshire, Donald Trump had won there also, but many Trump supporters are fearful because Nikki Haley did as well as she did. They fear that in future she might be a strong rival to Donald. This concern has increased since Donald has been ordered to pay eighty-three million dollars in the defamation lawsuit against him.
People are asking me “who do you think will win the primaries and the presidency?” There is always fear behind that question. Each political supporter, and each party member can think of a doomsday scenario in the case that the other candidate will win. They have genuine fear that if the election goes the “wrong way” there will be bad circumstances.
I remember such fear when I was a student in college in western Michigan which was the homeland of Gerald Ford. There was fear that Jimmy Carter might beat him in the election, which he ultimately did.
A similar fear was held my first year of seminary when Ronald Reagan beat Jimmy Carter. Students there felt that the world would end when Ronald Reagan took office.
Likewise, every election since those two have induced fear for party members and supporters of candidates. I wonder if we, who are Christians, should be worrying about other things besides presidential elections.
The Christian church thrived when it was born under the reign of the Caesars in the Roman Empire. Why do we fear whoever takes office in this country?
We, who are Christians should fear only one thing: not being faithful to God. I am reminded of an ancient Israeli Psalm 27.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
This election, like others before it, shall come and go. No matter who is the next president, Put your faith in honoring God. God is the one who is everlasting.
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