God Will Always Be Victorious

Today’s reading: Psalm 40:1-5

There have been many times in my life when I have asked God to “make” others have a change of heart on matters that I felt were important. But I can’t think of a single time when those prayers have been answered. Usually, it seems, the people in question have only become more committed to the opinions and actions I find disturbing.

The period that comes to my mind most prominently this afternoon was in 2002 and 2003 when I was a bit of a political activist. Alarmed by many news reports that the United States’ then-pending war in Iraq was being planned with irresponsible, even corrupt, intentions, I join several others in my city in speaking against the plans and recruiting other opponents. And, of course, I prayed fervently — and often publicly — for “President Bush to put an end to these insane, evil plans.”

On the night I saw  U.S. bombs lighting up Baghdad, and making my television look like a video game, I remember saying to a friend, “It looks like God has ruled against us.”

I now think of those dark days — and all of the other times God has “ignored” my prayers —  much differently.

I now understand that God has no more control than I do over the evil that lurks in other people’s hearts.  And I sometimes even chuckle at my former naivety.

I think of Jesus during those fateful days in Jerusalem, and I remember what He did not pray: “Father, please cause Pontius Pilate — or someone! —  to make the right decision.”

No, Jesus knew that no one in authority would make the “right” decision about his Crucifixion — and that even his friends forsake him.  Yet He went confidently to his “death.” Jesus showed the world upon the cross that the best way to fight evil in the hearts and minds of others is to simply endure it patiently — and trust that God will always be victorious.

A number of my  harsh critics during my activism days (including some family and life long friends) have apologized to me in recent years and said they realize my fellow war protestors and I were right. I’ve noticed that their attitudes toward politics, and life itself, have matured. And I can say the same of myself. (I’ve now come to understand that God is entirely a-political, so, while I do still follow political news, I rarely get myself worked up over it. I now realize that elections, and even wars, are separate from God. I put all of this in parenthesis because I know it’s a controversial thing to say, and I’m not interested in a debate. I’ll just point out that it’s significant that Jesus never ran for any office nor encouraged any war. )

And now, when I am tempted to pray for others to do the “right” thing, I just turn to the Bible’s many inspirational phrases that remind me to just stick with God, no matter what other people may do. Today’s reading is but one example:

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. (Verses 1-3)

Thanks be to God for never giving up on me, or all of mankind. May I (and we) always remember that He will always be victorious.