This is my article in today's Kingsport Times-News. Hope it is an encouragement.
He Is Our Only Hope
I read Daniel McCarthy’s article in February 21st in the Times-News titled “Do Americans trust ether party?” In talking to many of my friends and what I have read online, I found that the vast majority of us don’t trust ether party, and may I also say that we are also “just a little leery” of what the “government” says.
I have heard it said that the Republicans and Democrats both are dead in the water, I agree with what McCarthy wrote “The trouble with writing the Republicans’ obituary, however, is that the Democrats hardly seem healthier.”
It could be as I have heard about the election this year that is a “shot in the dark or a role of the dice” or “why even bother.” Some have said this election is like a line in the song “Hotel California” which many say it all about this election “And I was thinkin' to myself "This could be Heaven or this could be Hell." I do think that is a little extreme.
I do like the quote that McCarthy used by Oliver Goldsmith, “lines written 260 years ago, with help from his friend Samuel Johnson are worth remembering in an election year.” “How small, of all that human hearts endure / That part which laws or kings can cause or cure.” We are looking for a cure rather than a cause.
If our hope it is the government then it is in the wrong place because then our hope is put in the hands of people that are flawed, as Lord Acton writes to Bishop Creighton “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (1887)
We as Christians tend to put our hope in the wrong places many times, we need to follow the instruction from Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:19 where he said “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” We should be looking where our help comes from “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”(Psalm 124:8) This is the only hope and help that we have.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says it best “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” He Is Our Only Hope!
As McCarthy says “We still need leaders, and wise statesmanship, but we might have to live without political consensus — and Goldsmith assures we can.”
Duane Williams