Providence in Pennsylvania

By: Lisa Van Houten

We just experienced a monumental national event.  Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, were riveted to television and social media as news broke of the attempted assassination of former President Trump, just one day after President Biden posted: “We must stop him.” and “Most importantly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, Trump is a threat to our nation.”

Much has been written and stated about the failure and incompetence of the Secret Service.  Not to mention, the incendiary vitriol of Democrats and the liberal media in recent months and years labeling Trump as “Hitler” and an “existential threat to democracy.”

Yet, rather than rehashing what others have already stated about these concerns, let’s instead consider what obviously was the Divine intervention which spared Donald Trump’s life.  A simple slight turn of the head was the difference between a minor injury to Trump’s ear and what would have been a catastrophic bullet to the brain.  Proverbs 21:1 tells us that God turns the heart of a king wherever he will.  The Lord is also sovereign over the turning of a former president’s head.

I was very happy to see President Trump recognize this as well, as he stated hours after the shooting, that it was “God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”

Truly, God is sovereign over the affairs of man and nothing happens outside of His will and purpose.  Yet, we often can’t see what that purpose is.  Many are claiming that God’s act of sparing Donald Trump’s life is a sign of His anointing upon the former and possibly future president.  However, it’s not our place to make assumptions about God’s will.  As Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”  God’s revealed will is for us to know and obey His Word, not try to interpret His purpose through “signs.”

It’s very evident that God’s gracious hand of protection was upon President Trump, but for what reason?

Was it to do a work in Donald Trump’s heart and life, leading him to repentance and into a saving relationship with Christ? While Trump has claimed to be a Christian, and no one can truly know the heart of another, the fruit of his life doesn’t indicate that he is truly redeemed.  God’s Word says in Romans 2:4: “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Did God deflect the assassin’s bullet to spare our nation from the national upheaval and turmoil that would have ensued if the shooter had been successful?  Pastor Doug Wilson states: “We were not only inches away from Trump dying, we were also inches away from a bloody civil war.  God was very kind to us.”

Was President Trump’s life spared in order to use him in the office of president to unfold God’s will for our nation? And what is that will – is God preparing the way to once again grant our nation unmerited mercy or will He continue to bring about the consequences of judgment which we so rightly deserve?  It is God who sets up kings, or in our case, presidents. (Daniel 2:21).  Throughout history God has used even pagan/unbelieving rulers to unfold his will.  At times, He’s used those rulers to bring about judgment and at other times He has used them, despite their hardened hearts, to protect and uphold His people.

And why was Donald Trump’s life spared, but not Cory Comperatore’s – the Christian husband and father “who loved Jesus fiercely,” killed while shielding his wife and daughter?  Yet neither the sparing nor the taking of a life is random; God determines the number of each person’s days. (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16)

We cannot know God’s providential purpose in the events that unfolded last Saturday.  However, as believers, we rest in the assurance that God is working out His will.  A favorite quote of mine from Charles Spurgeon is: “O let my trembling soul be still, And wait thy wise, thy holy will!  I cannot, Lord, thy purpose see, Yet all is well since ruled by thee.”

When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at the end of the Civil War – a mere six days after General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox – renowned theologian Charles Hodge examined in great detail the issue of God’s providence in response to Lincoln’s assassination. In this 23-page essay, Hodge wrote that God “is everywhere present, upholding all things by the word of his power, and controlling, guiding, and directing the action of second causes, so that all events occur according to the counsel of his will.”

As Hodge looked back on the four years of Civil War, he wrote: “No Christian can look upon the events of the last four years without being deeply impressed with the conviction that they have been ordered by God to produce great and lasting changes in the state of the country, and probably of the world.”

I believe we will say the same in four years – however we have no way of knowing today what those “great and lasting changes” will be. But one thing we do know – ultimately, they will not be orchestrated by whoever sits in the Oval Office, but by the King of kings who sits on the Throne.

However, there are stark and sobering differences between the period of American history in which Charles Hodge was commenting on and America today.  As Hodge looked back upon the years of the Civil War, he noted: “More prayer has probably been offered to God during the past years, from sincere hearts, than in any ten years of the previous history of our country. 

“Never before have there been such frequent, open, and devout recognitions of the authority of God as the Ruler of nations, and of Jesus Christ, his Son, as the Saviour of the world, by our public men, as during the progress of this terrible war.”

Tragically, we cannot say the same.  Our nation does not honor God; most churches no longer even hold prayer meetings, let alone make prayer an emphasis; and, there is very little recognition “of the authority of God as the Ruler of nations, and of Jesus Christ, his Son, as the Saviour of the world” by both public officials and private individuals in America today.

The Republican Party was formed in 1854 with the purpose of combatting the evil of slavery and Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president.  Today, the Republican Party and President Trump just compromised on the evil of abortion, significantly watering down the pro-life principles that the GOP has held for decades.

Lincoln’s powerful second inaugural address stated in part: “Fondly do we hope ~ fervently do we pray ~ that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said ‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’”

What will our nation’s judgment be for every drop of blood shed from the murder of millions of unborn babies?

Charles Hodge gave this important warning of the chastisement that God brings both to individuals and nations: “If we harden our hearts under his chastising hand; if we refuse to mourn and to humble ourselves in his sight, our afflictions become punishments, and work out for us only evil, however they may minister to the good of others.”

Christ is King, no matter who is president.  We must be careful not to make an idol out of any man.  As we thank God for sparing Donald Trump’s life, let us also pray, that as God turned his neck, He will turn his heart to the Lord and His righteousness.  And may each of us learn the lesson of last Saturday – we never know when will be our last breath.  Live every day in honor and glory to God who reigns over the affairs of men.

 

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