We Need To Stand In The Gap If Our Country Is To Be Saved

Melody told me the other day that I was starting to be a grumpy old man. Actually, I think she said that I was already one. I wish that I could have argued with her, but the fact is that she is right. Dang it, I hate that, but she is, quite often.

I have become grumpier and not just a little angrier over these last few years, and it doesn’t have anything to do with my health issues — that’s going to work out. I’m just not sure I can say the same about our country.

Let’s put partisan politics aside for at least a little while and look at the situation that has played out over the last few days with regard to Hillary Clinton. From her husband having a private “family” chat with the U.S. attorney general to the president’s “friendly” comments about no criminal intent, and then finally to the FBI director departing from the usual protocol to advise prosecutors, the whole thing stinks. (Wish I could come up with a better word, but there isn’t one.)

Of course, Hillary’s supporters are now crying out that this is all a rightwing conspiracy to discredit her, but do you think for one second that if this were a conservative Republican candidate they would feel the same? Do you not think that the main (lame) stream media wouldn’t be pouncing on this like a predatory cat on a piece of fresh meat?

Beyond the hypocrisy of their indignation, let’s look at what is really sad in this whole scenario. Even Hillary cannot deny independent polls that show roughly 70 percent of the population thinks that she is untrustworthy. She has said that is something she knows she needs to “work on.” So, with 70 percent saying that they can’t trust her, almost 50 percent of the population is still willing to support her in her drive to become president.

Of course, her supporters will deflect her character flaw by trying to point out the negatives of Trump, and I understand that he has plenty. I can overlook a lot of things but not the trust factor. However, it does run in the family since President Bill looked right in the eye of the American public and lied but is now almost universally admired by liberals.

I am not, for one second, saying that liberals are liars and conservatives are all trustworthy because this is not about partisan politics but rather about character. I just cannot understand how someone can support someone who is judged to be untrustworthy. That is the truly sad part of the American psyche in 2016. Far too many just don’t care about trust and character.

The sermon in church this week was on “where do we place our hope.” Of course (as he usually is – close to 100 percent), Todd hit it on the mark. We cannot place our hope on people or nations, but rather on God. I know that I have way too much confidence in my own ability to solve issues and I place too much trust in man’s capabilities to save us this nation.

When I started writing this column after my time in the legislature ended, I titled it “Standing in the Gap” based on Ezekiel 22:30. In that verse, God was speaking to Ezekiel and said, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”

The explanation notes that accompany this verse truly explain what it means and why I chose it as my guide. The notes read: “The wall spoken here is not made of stones, but of faithful people united in their efforts to resist evil. The wall was in disrepair because there was no one who could lead the people back to God. The feeble attempts to repair the gap — through religious rituals or messages based on opinion rather than God’s will — were as worthless as whitewash, only covering over the real problems. When we give the appearance of loving God without living His way, we are covering up sins that could eventually damage us beyond repair. Don’t use religion as a whitewash; repair your life by applying the principles of God’s word. Then you can join with others to stand ‘in the gap’ and make a difference for God in the world.”

I understand that some of you may not agree with some of this commentary, but take it out of a biblical perspective and put it into a secular setting and it is still applicable. If we do not find leaders willing to “stand in the gap” for our nation, then it is doomed to be destroyed. And if we don’t, then we have no one but ourselves to blame.