H & D August, 2016
All people on the Earth have hopes and dreams. Sometimes these wishes are expressed as forms of government. The great forms, and by this I mean large enough to be remarked over, include communism, democracy, Nazism, socialism, monarchy, and dictatorship. Now understand, the common man and woman don’t come up with these forms, but they hope that the one in which they find themselves living will advance their individual wishes.
Then, you have those who will lead those who hope. These people have dreams as well. Desires for power, influence, wealth, privilege, and domination top their list. Once in a blue moon you get one, like Abraham Lincoln, who really cared about the people and had their best interests in mind. The common people, regardless of the system, always rely on those in leadership to deliver on those hopes. It is easy to see that these two sets of goals have little in common. Often they are in direct conflict. I am sure that in Germany in 1937, the common man was not thinking, “Let’s go to war and see if we can conquer Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.”
A third entity, and in this case a very influential one, is God. What does He hope for? In Revelations 3:20 he says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” He tells us he wants to love us and be loved by us. Simple enough. What can He do with the common people who do not look forward to that which God desires? If they do not strive for a relationship with Him, what can He do? Likewise, what if their political leader also fails to seek God’s counsel and express gratitude to the ONE who gave him the leadership? Because the people asked for it, truly an amazing chapter in the Bible, Samuel 8:1-21, God gave them a king. It was not what God wanted for them, but they insisted. Like Germany in 1937, this is what happened -“(The king) will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots . . . will take a tenth of your grain, wine, and flocks . . . and you yourselves will become slaves.”
The least desirable situation happens when both the leader and the people turn from God. There are even times when the people lift up their leader above God. Coupled with the desire, a childish one, to be cared for, you end up with the worst forms of government.
An extreme example today would be the refugee camps, where they have the same tent, same streets, same food, same water, same lack of schools and churches, and same lack of choice. Cared for but only at the most basic level. Communism gives “to each according to his needs.” – but not according to his desires. It is no source to satisfy hopes or dreams.
When those who govern and those governed seek God you end up with a United States of America. Our citizens can hope and dream, vote, improve their lot in life, seek even better outcomes for their children, own property without the fear of having it taken away, be free of crime and guided by the Words of God. Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.” My forefathers came to these shores in 1626 seeking the freedom to worship God and live by his Word. Oh how things have changed.
A Guy Named Bob 