Perhaps

   "perhaps" - what an interesting word. Dissecting the word gives a little insight here. 'per' - rendered 'by or through' and 'haps' - 'chance or happenstance'. I found myself last Tuesday night and Wednesday morning a little bummed to the realization that nothing in our nation really changed; that is unfortunate! I allowed myself to even vote early this year, pray for the election and 'hope' for a good outcome. It took me a while to peel back the feelings I was having.
   I realize that certainly, not everyone felt the same way, but for me anyway, it was a mixture of things. I felt disgust that we will more than likely be looking at another 4 years of legislative gridlock. I felt disdain that we can't rid ourselves of the corruption that exists throughout the various levels of our government very easily. I felt glum that we've gone from a society based on self-responsibility to a culture of 'entitlements'. I felt overwhelmed that my children, grandchildren and their children will have to pay for the sins of the fathers. Then today happened.
   I was reading in Jeremiah 26:3 and the Lord starts with the word "perhaps". To be honest with you that intrigues me a little. You see Jeremiah prophesied during the decay, collapse and deportation of Israel. Israel was THE 'world power' during the 10th century BC but began its moral and cultural decay soon after the death of David's son Solomon. It took Israel 300 years to get to the point of being completely dismantled at the hands of the Babylonians. National and political collapses are nothing new and should come as no surprise to any of us - until it actually occurs - to us! Seeing that life and circumstances are flying by at warp-10, I doubt seriously it will take us 300 years to shrink into irrelevance unless Scotty runs short on dilythium crystals... So I think we may actually be in that short period of 'perhaps'!
   Interestingly enough, Jeremiah was told to go to church (Temple) to prophesy, not to the houses of government or the halls of justice... but to the people.  If "they" would "listen and return" - God "might relent" from what he was planning to do.  I am in no position to tell you what the Lord has planned for us as a nation - but it can't be good. Let's face it - our nation doesn't receive a 'get-out-of-hell-free card' for 40-million abortions performed, approving same-sex marriages, corruption to the highest levels of government, oppressing the poor, placing in servitude the entire lower and middle class of working families through $16T of debt, and legalizing recreational use of hallucinogens (Washington and Colorado states with marijuana)...
   In these moments of 'perhaps' let's take a little personal inventory together:

1. Where's your hope? (Government? Family? God? idols / gods?...)
2. What's your plan? (Random? Micro-management? Trust?)
3. Why the anxiety?  (Misplaced priorities? Bad stewardship? Broken homes?)

Personally, I wish we could enact a law that would require all politicians to wear powdered wigs, knickers and black square-toe shoes... but since we can't get that one passed - I will settle in on the providential mercy of God and the repentance of His people back to Him and 'perhaps the Lord...'

• In His wrath will remember mercy...
• In His judgment will extend grace...
• In His anger will give us more time...

In Christ?!

Pastor Paul