Susan Beckett | Dwelling Place City Church
Before her death, Ann Landers received about 10,000 letters a month from people requesting advice. Once, someone asked her what the most common question was. Her reply? People constantly seem to be afraid or worried about things. They’re afraid of losing their health or their jobs, and they’re filled with concerns about their friends & families. The short version: people were looking for Peace but couldn’t seem to find it.
I’m just about positive if Ann Landers were alive today she would be on the receiving end of even more such correspondence, but added to that list would be unrest about our wonderful U.S. of A. And I would hope her answer to those people would be something like this: “Peace is not the absence of trials. It’s the result of remaining calm and cool in the midst of them. And really, God is the only One who can bring you that kind of Peace!”
Everyone wants Peace, but today we are seeing a collision of two opposing kingdoms; light vs. dark & good vs. evil. I sit in front of my T.V. and watch the continuous news coverage of the complete mess our nation is now in. There are endless debates as to the ungodly intentions of people and the root causes of corruption. But as we debate all this – the origin and goals of evil etc.- no one questions its reality. This is one topic not up for debate!
The force of evil is very real, and because it’s a reality, we are now seeing evil becoming bold and proud. Proverbs 29:2 reminds us: “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” Government should be there to provide a just and peaceful social environment. It’s supposed to discourage evil-doers. But often, the government itself can be the ones wielding unlawful, ‘tyrannical’ power.
Tyranny is defined as “cruel and unfair treatment by people with power over others, or a harsh or unjust act.” Fortunately, tyrants don’t catch God unaware. They have been around for a very long time. In fact, in Isaiah 10 (written in 700 B.C.), we are told this: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who mandate wickedness and legalize oppression, and who withhold justice from the oppressed.” Ouch! I would sure hate to be on the “woe” side of God! Definitely not good!!
But today, government tyrants are busy at work and more stories are filtering in about abuses from the pandemic days and many are jolting. I recently read about the Maryville Baptist Church which held a modest Easter service. Some congregants were inside and others in their parking lot, hearing the service through a loudspeaker.
To harass the people, the police took down license-plate numbers. The church sued and won! The court issued this statement: “It’s not always easy to decide what is Caesar’s and what is God’s…but why is it safe to wait in a car for a liquor store to open but dangerous to wait in a car to hear morning prayers?” In yet another city, the mayor sent out tow trucks on a Sunday morning to tow cars from a Romanian church’s parking lot.
America! America!! My heart hurts for what we are losing and I fear my children and grand’s will never know the amazing country I grew up in. So, what are we to do? First, I would remind Christ-followers that our true citizenship is in heaven. I’m a temporary resident on earth and as much as I love our country, I won’t lose sight of Who rules my life!
But we can’t give in to tyranny and as someone recently said, ”Do not be suckered into violence.” Tyrants love violence – they thrive on opportunities to wield their power. In Acts, when the disciples were commanded not to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter responded with this: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Then, after being given a “good whipping,” they returned to preaching the name of Jesus!
Always oppose tyranny. Pray with your shoes on. We’re told not to talk about politics or religion. Hogwash! Talk! Speak up! Voice your opinions to Congress and anyone else who will listen. As Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) well said: “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor the Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org
