What I Didn't Say

I was interviewed by Cross Politic yesterday about the letter that I wrote to the civil magistrate. The interview went well and it is slated to drop Sunday night. As sometimes happens in interviews, you get sidetracked in time and forget to say something you wanted to say. In this case, I think I forgot the  most important thing! I suppose I am not very practiced or very good doing interviews.

I am afraid that it sounded like I thought the most important thing right now is to talk to our officials. I don't think that.

That most important thing that I wanted to say is that the Lord is most clearly doing something and we should all pay attention!

Now, I know that is obvious to most of us but it should not go without saying. The interview was about the need to get back to work and worship. It seems to me there is a strong growing frustration with our civic leaders as the shutdown, the lockdown, continues on indefinitely. The frustration is understandable and we should be speaking to our officials and making our voices heard.

But we should also be listening, not just speaking. God is in control of all things. Whatsoever comes to pass is His Divine Providence. We need to really let that sink in. There is some sense in which our civil leaders are controlling our activity, and as time goes and if they overstep their bounds, we should do our civic duty as citizens under our Constitution. But we should do so acknowledging that our God, who is in control of all things, just sent a shock wave of fear and trembling around the entire globe.

Thank Him that He did not unleash a plague of death that destroyed the Earth. It should be obvious in this scare, that He easily could. And we would even deserve it.

Are we heeding Him? Are we repenting of our personal sins? Are we returning to the Scriptures as our only ultimate and infallible authority? Are we facing death without fear because we serve Jesus who is alive and we know that we will live forever in Him?

As we are shut up in our homes, are we talking to our wives, husbands, children, parents? Talking is good. That's a start. Are we talking about important things? About the kingdom of God? About our duty to God and men? About loving God and loving His people?

Now that we are not able to worship together as we once did, do we miss church? Worship? The people? The preaching? Communion? The accountability? The opportunity to love and serve others?

When  this ends, and it will, will we be the same? No, we won't. You cannot stay the same. You are going forward or backward. There is no neutral. After the dust settles, we should be better.

If we love Him rightly, we will. If we still serve ourselves the same way we did before, if we didn't pay attention, if we didn't get the message, if we didn't submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in everything, we will be worse.

But I believe better things for you, things that accompany salvation.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and grant you peace.

That's what I meant to say.