Consider Your Days

​Psalm 33 comes to mind as I contemplate the events of last weekend. "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the people. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth--He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army, no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in HIs unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine." (Psalm 33:8-19)
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu said it well..."The shooting of Trump is an attack on America and an attack on democracy." Our country got a wakeup call on Saturday, July 13, when a 20-year old man climbed up on a roof and shot Donald Trump as he was making a speech in Butler, PA. Details as to who he is and why he would do this are slim, but his actions have awakened the people of America. My hope is that everyone will contemplate their frailty and open their hearts to the Eternal God who holds our lives in HIs hands.
 
Job said, "He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." (Job 5:12) After spending time in considerable suffering and complaining to his friends, Job acknowledged that he had been talking over his understanding. Also, after meeting the Sovereign God and realizing that God was with him through it all, his testimony was, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2) Several verses in Proverbs agree with Job's testimony. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9) "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." (Proverbs 21:30)
 
None of us can presume on tomorrow or even the next minute as the attempt on Donald Trump's life so visibly shows us. James 4:14 warns, "But you don't have a clue what tomorrow may bring, for fleeting life is but a warm breath of air that is visible in the cold only for a moment and then vanishes!" (TPT) The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that God makes everything fit together in its timing. He says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Chapter 8, Verse 6 says, "For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter."
 
The life of Donald Trump has been spared by our Sovereign God. Dutch Sheets articulates the perspective of many: "If Trump ever questioned God's hand and destiny on him, he should now be fully assured of it." President Trump himself recognizes the protection of God and the mandate that he must move forward. He wrote a social media post that says, "Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will Fear Not, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness...In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."
 
What should our response be in light of the events of July 13? May I suggest that we live every day as if it were our last. The Psalmist reminds us that our days are numbered. (Psalm 90:12) We must use every opportunity to love and encourage those around us and to nurture our relationship with the Lord. Let us also pray for protection over, wisdom to infuse, and fear of the Lord to overtake those who are running for office and who have a call on their lives to lead America into the future. Another quote from Donald Trump should be kept in mind. "None of us knows God's plan, or where life's adventure will take us. But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on Earth is a gift from God.”