God in the Public Square – Where Does My Help Come From?

“⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency^[a] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

In the midst of the shenanigans of Washington politics, I have been saddened and distressed, not by the difficulties it has caused to people, but by our reactions to it as Christians. There has been outrage, worry and incitement to fear. My heart breaks. A headline read “All eyes are on Washington over debt ceiling showdown.” Facebook is filled with outcries over the latest tricks to make people’s lives miserable, or the latest rumor of one side or the other caving. My heart weeps. It does not weep for the struggle, that is simply the way a free country works, particularly in a time where it is faced with those who do not particularly like the uncertainty of freedom in positions of authority. It is the response of my fellow Christians.

What will we do if checks don’t go out? What will we do if soldiers don’t get paid? What will we do if the government shuts down parks or roads? What will be do if poor people don’t get the money they depend on? What will we do if… What will we do, what will we do, what will we do!!!! I cannot speak to what should be done by those who do not believe in the God who made the world and sent His Son to lead us back to Him. I imagine there indeed must be distress and perhaps even a little terror for those folks in the dysfunction evident in a nation’s government run without a moral compass or guiding vision. But for my fellow Christians, who profess to follow the King of Kings, the Bible has already answered this question for us. Perhaps we just simply needed a reminder.

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians at a time when Rome was neutral toward his ministry, but still nearly 3 centuries before Christianity became legal. He wrote this letter to the Corinthians as they worshiped in a prosperous heathen city dominated by the worship of Aphrodite. He wrote this at time when professing Christianity could get you shunned, fired or killed. He told them, and us what we would do as followers of the one true King.

What will we do when the world falls apart? Trust in the sufficiency of God in all things. What will we do when the checks don’t go out? Lift prayers of thanks giving for the certainty that God will make grace abound to us abundantly. What will we do if the soldiers don’t get paid? Lift prayers that God supplies the seeds to the sower and the bread for food and will multiply them so that through us they will produce thanksgiving. What will we do? What will we do? What will we do if the worst happens, the economy crashes, martial law ensues and we are hounded and jailed? Sing praises to the Father as we wait with expectation to see how He will deliver us and who He will save by our trials.

As a Christian, do not fear, do not tremble. Stand strong and joyful. Take your eyes off Washington and put them firmly on Christ. We are His light in the world, it is in this time of darkness we are called to shine. Be blessed and be a blessing.

Tera Ertz is political commentator and theology student who has been contributing to various internet radio and blog sites since 2008. You can find here on facebook, or check out her website at Hope and Change Ministries.