Faith in action – Christian response to the Government Shutdown

 

A week has nearly passed by and still no resolution to the budget debacle.  Both sides are blaming the other side for the shutdown.  The shutdown is also affecting government contractors.  I received news on Friday that 1,000 employees from my company thus far are on furlough as a result of the shutdown.  There is no doubt that there is a lot of frustration over the lack of action and concern about how long this may continue.  I have been pondering how Christians can respond to the Government Shutdown and have come up with 3 thoughts that I wanted to share.

1.       We need to be praying for our leaders.  It is easier for us to criticize, write and share critical things on Facebook, etc then to pray.  I, for one, do not pray as I should for those who are leading our country.    We are exhorted to pray for those in authority over us, regardless of whether we agree with them or not.

 

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV)  First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  ³ This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,  ⁴ who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

Romans 13:1 (ESV)  Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

 

2.       God is still on the throne and still sovereign.  The shutdown did not catch God off guard.  He allowed it for His good purposes – perhaps that more people would repent and put their trust in Him and perhaps to remind believers that our hope is in the Lord and not in government.  Whatever your political affiliations, I think we can agree government is not doing a very good job.   The U.S. operates each year with a budget deficit larger than the past one.  Our health care is broken.  Many of our roads and highways are in need of repair.  Our education system is lagging far behind other countries.  Government cannot bail us out of all the problems.  It is too large and too inefficient.  God though is bigger than our problems.  He wants us to trust Him.  He does not want us to worry.

Psalm 65:5-13  ⁵ By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;  ⁶ the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;  ⁷ who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,  ⁸ so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.  ⁹ You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.  ¹⁰ You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.  ¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.  ¹² The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,  ¹³ the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Psalm 135:6-7  ⁶ Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.  ⁷ He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

In Proverbs 10:3, God promises the righteous that they will not hunger.  If you have difficulty with anxiety, let me encourage you to listen to a sermon by R.W Glenn, pastor of Redeemer Bible Church.  I found this to be very encouraging and applicable.

3.       This will create opportunities to minister to those affected by the shutdown.  We can pray for them, maybe share a meal with them, and share the gospel with them if they don't know the Lord.

I am curious on how you have responded and if others have been furloughed.  Please feel free to post your thoughts and ideas!

 

Soli Deo Gloria!