Some Thoughts on the Assassination Attempt

As many (if not all) of you are probably aware, the nation was shocked by what appeared to be (and was soon confirmed as) an attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a political rally in Pennsylvania last Saturday (July 13th). I've had conversations with a few of you about it, especially in light of the recently concluded "Gospel Politics" sermon series, and so I wanted to offer just a few reflections here.

First, once I recovered from my initial shock, and had some time to process the enormity of what occurred, I experienced profound relief that Donald Trump was not killed or more seriously injured. Whatever one's personal opinions of Trump as an individual, or one's political persuasion, my sense is that it's impossible to grasp how close our country was to a real crisis. I've prayed heartfelt prayers of gratitude that we were collectively spared from this, and I encourage you to pray the same.

Second, in addition to prayers of gratitude, I've also felt waves of lament. Lament for the fact that our political culture (and culture in general) is so bitterly divided. Lament for the endemic violence in humanity. Lament for the individual who actually was shot and killed, a person who was simply attending a political event and now has left behind a grieving family. Lament for other nations that are plagued by political violence in ways that Americans are largely insulated from. In short, I suppose, lament in response to all the reminders of our sin-tainted world.

Third and last, and in light of the recent sermon series, this has been yet another reminder for me of where to anchor my hope and faith. Because even though we were spared a national crisis last weekend, there is no guarantee of what the days ahead of us will hold. Do not place your hope in our political system to keep us safe and secure. Our eternal security is guaranteed, whatever does (or does not) unfold in America. That said, it is absolutely appropriate to pray for our political system, and our political leaders, and I have been provoked to do just that after these events. I encourage and invite you to join me in praying for our political leaders, most especially Biden and Trump and those in their immediate circle of influence. My prayer is that our leaders on both sides of the political aisle would recognize the impact of their rhetoric, would endeavor to heal the divides in our nation, and that our systems would successfully protect us from violence in the days ahead.

But, and this is important, however God responds to these prayers, our inheritance is secure (see 1 Peter), our lives are hidden with Christ (see Colossians), and his Kingdom is eternal.

Psalm 146 is always a comfort to me in these times:
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
    in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8     the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The Lord reigns forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.