Placing Our Hope in God, Not Princes
Placing Our Hope in God, Not Princes
“I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” Ps. 146:2-4. Probably written more than 2500 years ago as Jewish people were returning to Jerusalem after decades of exile in Babylon, this psalm aligns with the challenges of rebuilding their society and religious identity. Given our city’s role in human affairs and the turmoil that engulfs it, we need this Psalm’s reminder that our hope should be not in earthly rulers, but in “the Maker of heaven and earth . . . [who] remains faithful forever.” Ps. 146:5-6.
Events and people in our nation’s history also prompt us to place our trust in God. One example is our 20th President, James Garfield, whose religious roots, like our congregation’s, are in the Stone-Campbell American Restoration Movement. President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier (2023) by C.W. Goodyear chronicles the life of this good and brilliant man who rose from humble circumstances to greatness. Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin. His father, an Ohio farmer, read the Bible to him. After his father’s early death, Garfield worked to support himself and attend school, eventually becoming a teacher, preacher, and at twenty-six, president of a small college. His family’s instruction and later personal study prompted his faith and immersion at age 19. As a college president, he also “tended to Disciple congregations . . . .[,] baptiz[ing] people, marr[ying] them, and occasion g[iving] their eulogies.” Id. at 66. He had strong, early convictions against slavery and volunteered for service in the Union Army. His demonstrated skills resulted in his promotion to general, the Army’s youngest; he resigned this post to become a Congressman. By age thirty-three, Garfield thus was a unique figure, embodying the roles of preacher, principal, general, and Congressman. After an eighteen-year stint in Congress, he was elected President in 1880. In Congress and as President, Garfield wrestled with issues facing our nation today, including to what extent immigration should be limited, who could qualify for citizenship, how to choose federal employees, how the federal government could expand educational opportunities, and to what extent tariffs should be imposed on imports. An assassin’s bullet shortened his time as President to just six months. The Reading Circle – one of our congregation’s small groups - will discuss Goodyear’s book at 7:00 pm EDT on May 1, 2025; click here to participate.
Next month, our congregation rolls out its enhanced and expanded small group ministry. I urge you to commit to at least one such group for fellowship and study. We will post details about these groups in the congregation’s new app. If you haven’t already downloaded and set up the app, details about how to do so are here. And remember to submit your nomination for additional elders and deacons using one of these electronic forms: Nomination Form in English and Nomination Form in Spanish.
Lloyd