March 5, 2025

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

The True

On That Day

On that day. Those three words denote a dramatic change in perspective and destiny. They provide a window into why and how you should have hope about your future.

Those words appear in Zephaniah 3:16, just a verse before the familiar words telling of a God who takes “great delight in you” and “rejoice[s] over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). In fact, the last half of Zephaniah 3 is absolutely bursting with hope and promise! It speaks of a people who will sing and shout (v. 14), who will be honored (v. 20), and whose fortunes will be restored (v. 21).

It is wholly optimistic save one thing—it is all future tense. It is all promised, but not yet arrived or realized.

To the contrary, the first two-and-a-half chapters of Zephaniah are difficult to get through. They are as bleak as the closing passage is optimistic. They speak of judgement and curses and destruction, and as much as you might hope these are all things of the past, this portion too is future tense. Repeatedly, God speaks through Zephaniah saying, “On that day” (vv. 8, 9, 10).

My friend, there is both great trouble and great vindication ahead!

So why should you stand in confident hope today? You should do so because the final verdict “on that day” has already been rendered in your favor! The order of these events matters decisively and conclusively. Yes, there is conflict and chaos and trouble still to come. There is no use denying it. But those things are not dispositive. They are not the end.

The final verdict—the one that follows the chaos and in fact subdues it—is the one that says, “On that day . . . He will take great delight in you . . . will rejoice over you with singing . . . will rescue . . . will gather . . . will bring you home” (vv. 16, 17, 19, 20)!

Friend, your hope is not a naive one. You know and understand the very real challenges of our world. You are not blissfully ignorant. You know there is adversity ahead.

But you also know the order of events. You know Who gets the final say after all else is said and done. Most importantly, your identity is found within the One who will have that final say. He will, on that day, declare, “You are mine” (Is. 43:1).

World

Ukraine Aid Paused

The United States has paused military aid to Ukraine in an effort to speed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The move comes days after a tense Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting was originally intended to include the signing of a deal to provide the U.S. with access to Ukraine’s robust mineral supply but ended abruptly after the leaders clashed. Both Trump and Zelensky later stated the deal is still viable, but the pause on military aid is a significant challenge for the Ukrainian military as it remains under siege from Russia.

Analysis and eternal perspective: There has been significant ink spilled analyzing the Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky, and plenty of finger pointing about who is most to blame for the deteriorating relationship between the two leaders. There is little to gain from adding to that conversation, but there are still several truths we as The Equipped community should stand on even as they do not fit neatly into any of the standard prevailing narratives:

1) Russia is the clear aggressor and oppressor in the ongoing war – In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to invade sovereign Ukrainian territory. For more than three years now, and at great cost of human life on both sides, Putin has sought to take land from Ukraine, an objective that is consistent with his previous invasions of sovereign territory. We know from history that when Putin is rewarded with land after invading, he invades again.

2) Peace is a worthy goal and perpetual war should be avoided – We as The Equipped family regularly remind ourselves of our mandate to persistently pursue peace (Ps. 34:14). This mindset is at odds with the world around us, and true peace is difficult to achieve. It requires a deliberate decision to pursue it, a clear understanding of who is being oppressed, and often great sacrifice.

3) An end to the war is not the same as peace – It matters a great deal how this war ends. It matters to the Ukrainian people, the Russian people, and people all around the world. The terms of the war’s end are also perhaps the single greatest factor in determining whether Putin’s territorial lust will again result in another invasion.

Each one of us likely cringes a bit at some portion or another of the above. The framework doesn’t neatly support any particular political narrative, but as we work to view the horrors of this war through a biblical lens that should always be aimed toward peace, let’s together reiterate our commitment to seeking justice and defending the oppressed (Is. 1:17). These components are far more important than any political narrative.

World

Tariffs Take Effect

U.S. tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico are now in effect, and the previous U.S. tariffs on China have been doubled. Canada and China responded with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, and Mexico announced it will do the same this weekend. As expected, opinions about the tariff strategy are divided among elected leaders in Washington, DC, with some saying the move is long overdue and others warning a trade war will harm U.S. consumers.

Analysis and eternal perspective: You have limited ability to impact the short-term decisions about tariffs, but this story is a perfect reminder of your responsibility to both wisely steward what has been entrusted to you (Lk. 12:48) and diligently prepare for challenges that may lie ahead (Pr. 21:20).

Proverbs 6:6-11 provides a blunt-to-the-point-of-slightly-humorous admonition to work both hard and smart:

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”

Not exactly subtle. To be honest, the candor makes me chuckle a bit, but it is a critically important reminder for us. Whether it be economic volatility because of tariffs or national security threats the tariffs are meant to address, the future holds uncertainty. Your job and mine is to plan wisely, steward well, and root our security in the eternal Kingdom (Col. 3:1-4).

U.S.

Joint Session

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. In what is essentially a difference without a distinction, it was not formally a State of the Union address, as the President is in the first year of his second non-consecutive term. The address lasted approximately approximately an hour and 40 minutes (the longest joint session address ever) and included significant focus on border security, economic policy (including tariffs), and prioritizing American interests. Per usual, most Republicans lauded the speech and most Democrats critiqued it.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Engage on substance. You and I had this conversation a year ago when then-President Joe Biden delivered his final State of the Union address. In both cases, there was plenty of substance to consider and also plenty of palace intrigue. The challenge is to wisely distinguish between the two in order to thoughtfully and faithfully have an impact toward flourishing.

Remember, the places around the world—both now and across the sweep of human history—where dissent and disagreement are not tolerated are actually the most oppressive places on the globe. Differences of opinion are not the enemy, and in fact provide an atmosphere in which each of us can be refined (Pr. 27:17). So it is not a state of perpetual kumbaya we are seeking, but rather a humility-infused desire to be personally refined in order that others might flourish.

A modern-day presidential address to Congress can be a challenging venue to walk out this directive. That makes it a perfect opportunity for The Equipped family! If you chose to watch Tuesday’s speech, take a moment now to specifically identify and categorize what is substance and what is palace intrigue. Then, deliberately set aside the latter and engage on the former (2 Tim. 2:23).

The Beautiful

A Mother's Love

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Pr. 31:28).

A mother’s love is a special kind of beauty. This season for our family has included new motherhood, the loss of a mother, and the gift of a mother’s service.

Motherhood has highs and lows, blessings and challenges. You may have wonderful mother relationships and memories, or they may be challenging. Our prayer for each of you this week is that you would know and experience the blessing of a mother’s love.