Leadership… for such a time as this

Consider the times in which we are living…

Iran just re-elected the madman, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to another term as president. We are told that he won by obtaining 63% of the vote. In reality, we may never know what the "real" vote count was. The decisions in Iran are made by the cleric class led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and they were the ones that announced the election results. The bottom line is that the president will be who they want it to be. The announcement caused mass riots in Iran to protest the election results. Will it matter? No. This is Iran we're talking about, not a democratic nation. And the anti-Israel Ahmadinejad remains in power, vowing the destruction of Israel, and continuing to seek a nuclear weapon. What is really terrifying is that President Obama has changed U.S. policy and resigned himself to a nuclear Iran. In short, we will be doing nothing to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon that they can then use or sell or give to another country or terrorist organization to use against Israel.

North Korea is steaming full speed ahead toward nuclear weaponization. Their leader, Kim Jong-Il, is perhaps more unstable than Iran's leader. North Korea is showing no regard for the international community, and it is threatening war with any nation that attempts to blockade its supply ships. Kim Jong-Il's motives are unclear, but it is believed that he had a stroke 10 months ago, his health is failing quickly, and he may be trying to go out in a blaze of glory. North Korea has successfully tested missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to both America's east and west coasts.

In the middle of these two very serious international problems, our nation's economy is at its weakest point since the Carter administration and perhaps even the Great Depression. The government has stepped in and assumed control of banks and car companies and is making aggressive moves to nationalize heath care. The power of the dollar is so low that in a recent trip to China by Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner to assure the Chinese of the dollar's strength, he was laughed at. America's ability to come to the world's rescue is stalled for now and perhaps at an end. We may be seeing the twilight of the United States as THE world power.

In such a time as this, people can grow faint-hearted. In times like these we need leadership – strong, godly, Jesus-centered leadership – more than ever.

As a Christian I do not worry. I do not worry because…

1. God is in control. We can never forget this. Man is certainly not in control and the world may look like it's spinning out of control, but trust me my friend, God is in FULL control. Christians need to remind the world of this.

2. God has a plan. God's control always follows the direction of God's plan. There is no aimlessness to what we are seeing. It is not chaos. The events of the world are unfolding exactly as God has willed it.

3. God is the only sure thing. In a world where we do not know what is around the next corner, where we do not know what tomorrow will bring, God has given us one sure thing. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. We can always count on the love and protection and shielding of Christ. That does not mean we are immune from the evils of the world, but it does mean we are secure in our place in eternity.

Passage for Reflection:

Psalms 97:1-5 (ESV)
¹ The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

"Lord, may I boldly lead with confidence in such a time as this. Amen."

Blessings,

Jeff