November 13, 2024

Viewing all things through the lens of the True and the beautiful!

Correction: We reported last week it appeared voter turnout in 2024 would surpass the record of nearly 160 million votes cast in 2020. It now appears the final tally of votes cast will end up slightly lower than in 2020.

The True

The Great Assembly

“In America, we shout for the ballgame and are quiet in church.”

It was a humorous but convicting statement from Pastor Zeb Mangistu. While there are many appropriate ways and postures to worship the Almighty God—kneeling, standing, silently, and loudly are but a few mentioned in scripture—I couldn’t dispute the accuracy of the statement. I am much more accustomed to yelling out (in either exuberance or dismay) at an athletic event than I am in worship to my God.

A quick lighthearted caveat: Our oldest son Jude regularly reminds me (and anyone else who will listen) that I couldn’t speak and instead fell completely silent when my Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016. So the full truth is that my vocal volume is dramatically impacted in both directions when I’m a spectator of a ballgame!

But there truly is something about being in a stadium full of fans—both for your team and opposed—that causes you and me to let our guard down and passionately express our support and loyalty.

This image gives vivid life to what we read in scripture about the “great congregation” or the “great assembly.” Here are a few examples:

“I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you” (Ps. 35:18).

“My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord” (Ps. 26:12).

“I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know” (Ps. 40:9).

You may or may not enjoy large sporting events. Perhaps you are more into concerts, or theater, or some other form of entertainment. Or maybe you are more of a homebody and prefer the silence of solitude.

No matter your personality, you are a part of the great assembly!

You are among the throngs, and your proclamations will speak of something! Will they sing His praise and tell of His mighty acts? Will those with whom you are gathered know of the One who lives in you? Will you speak and even shout out, or will your lips remain sealed?

It is a convicting question to consider, but it also has the potential to radically impact your life. Why? Because your role is simply one of standing and speaking.

You do not have to gather the assembly or build the platform. You simply have to proclaim.

You do not have to possess all the answers. You need only to praise.

You do not need to worry yourself about who among the crowd will listen and who will scoff. Your only concern is that your lips not be sealed but instead tell of His goodness.

Perhaps the greatest treasure of this truth is that it is for an audience of One. What a priceless exclamation at the end of Psalm 40:9, when the psalmist tells God his lips are unsealed, “as you know!”

Is your habit of declaring God’s goodness in the great assembly so engrained that God already knows it? It should be! It can be! Let your posture at the ballgame or the concert remind you. Set your feet firmly and make some noise in the great assembly! Tell them of your great God!

U.S.

It's a Wrap (Mostly)

The results are in (except for a handful of U.S. House races, mostly in California):

White House: Former President Donald Trump is now once again President-elect Donald Trump after sweeping the seven states deemed battleground states and securing a 312-226 victory in the electoral college. While a few states are still counting ballots, it seems clear Trump will also win the popular vote by a few million votes.

U.S. Senate: Republicans flipped majority control of the U.S. Senate by winning four seats held by Democrats and securing a 53-47 majority margin in the chamber.

U.S. House: While several races—mostly in CA—are yet to be determined, it seems clear Republicans will retain a very narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Governors: Republicans won eight of the eleven governorships on the ballot and will now hold the top executive position in 27 of the 50 states.

Analysis and eternal perspectives: Elephants, donkeys, and the Lion and the Lamb. As a Jesus follower, you should know God longs to work through the pinnacle of His creation—mankind—and that the impact of governments of men can be very real in the here and now. We are called to be “salt and light” in the world (Matt. 5:13-16), and to make long-term investments into this temporary earthly home (Jer. 29:4-7).

With this in mind, the results of an election matter. But no matter whether you are jubilant, alarmed, or somewhere in between, remember that your identity and your purpose are not found in an election victory or defeat, but rather in your association with the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain for you.

As we discussed last week before knowing the outcome of the election, your mission is unchanging. You were redeemed by the Lamb who went to the cross for you. Through the power that conquered death when Jesus rose from the grave, you can now live as bold as the Lion of Judah! This is true whether your political party is currently in or out of power.

Jesus followers—you and I—should be the most indispensable identity group on the planet. The expectation of the world is that everyone will sort based on political association, but we serve a King who will always be on the throne, and whose reign does not depend on the next election. Let’s live like that! Our service isn’t tied to a politician’s first 100 days in office, but rather to a permanent call to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our world.

U.S.

A New Cabinet

The faces of Washington are already beginning to change, as President-elect Donald Trump has announced his first several selections for cabinet positions, as well as other key posts:

- Susie Wiles as White House Chief of Staff

- Sen. Marco Rubio as Secretary of State

- Rep. Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor

- Rep. Elise Stefanik as U.N. Ambassador

- Rep. Lee Zeldin as EPA Administrator

- Stephen Miller as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy

- Tom Homan as ‘Border Czar’

- Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel

- Gov. Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security

- Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense

- John Ratcliffe as CIA Director

There will be a flurry of additional personnel announcements in the days ahead. Several prominent figures are playing an advisory role in this process, including Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead a new unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, which will focus on eliminating waste spending and regulation.

On Capitol Hill, there is still a lame duck session to complete for the 118th Congress, but the 119th Congress is already beginning to take shape, and both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House will hold leadership elections today.

Analysis and eternal perspective: There is a familiar saying in Washington: “People are policy.” In other words, to impact policy, you need people in charge who are aligned with that policy.

This rhythm is familiar to those in Washington, D.C., but more important, it is essential to the democratic process. You may favor or disfavor the personnel changes that occur after each election, but what a blessing of liberty it is to live in a place so immediately responsive to the will of the electorate. It is easy to take this phenomenon for granted, but it is quite frankly the exception rather than the rule across the sweep of human civilization.

It should both humble and exhilarate us to be afforded such freedom. No administration or Congress warrants your complete allegiance or opposition—your fidelity is only to the one true God (1 Cor. 8:6, Ex. 34:14, Lk. 4:8). But as Proverbs 29:2 reminds us, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

Wherever you find yourself on the political spectrum, root yourself only in God, and aim your efforts at ensuring that those who lead do so righteously.

World

Antisemitism in Amsterdam

Israeli soccer fans were attacked after a match in Amsterdam on Friday. The violence followed antisemitic rhetoric on social media, including calls for a “Jew hunt.” Both the Israeli Prime Minister and the Dutch Prime Minister condemned the attacks and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Analysis and eternal perspective: There are no two ways about it: The Jewish people have faced hatred and efforts to exterminate them since Old Testament times. This sobering reminder is one of the biblical principles we have been repeatedly referring to as we consider how to respond to the ongoing wars in and around Israel.

Another of those principles is that every person has eternal value and is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Violence of this fashion is intensely hostile to God’s perfect design. As Jesus followers, we should speak this truth clearly and without reservation. We should also proactively look for ways to heal the deep rifts that exist between people groups. These fissures will never fully close on this side of heaven, but we are promised a day when those from every tribe, language, people, and nation will gather as one to proclaim God’s glory (Rev. 5:9)!

The Beautiful

Abundant Goodness

What an abundant life you and I live! Truly! You don’t always see the struggles in my life, and I don’t always see yours, but even in the presence of those struggles, we can say with confidence that our God has bestowed blessing upon blessing unto us! He has lavished His love on you, and He has filled our world with all manner of sweetness and goodness! Slow your pace enough today to take notice!

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13).