Shifting Political Winds

We are in the middle of some turbulent political times.

Everywhere there is anger over the flagrant disregard for the will of the people and an unimaginable lack of common sense which was displayed by the President and the Democrats in congress during the healthcare debacle.

We see reports of escalating death threats against politicians and against the IRS - though there is something disingenuous about these reports.

Amid all this the President is stepping up his rhetoric as if to escalate the anger even more.

It is a troubling time for me.

But I have seen the political landscape shift before: I remember shortly after the end of Gulf War I, George H.W. Bush was enjoying unprecedented popularity - and rightly so, I thought - he seemed a shoe-in for a second term. But the landscape shifted.

When Bill Clinton was confounding conservatives at every turn and liberals were relishing their advantage, the winds shifted again in '94 with Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America". The Republicans swept the House and Senate races that year resulting in what someone coined a peaceful seizing of power.

We saw a shift in the 2008 elections: Republicans shut out their conservative base and it ushered in the historic election of Barack Obama as the first African-American President.

Shifts can bring elation or frustration.

This conversation is significant this week, because it is Holy Week. Christians celebrate this as the week leading up to the Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.

But on the Sunday known as Palm Sunday, Jesus had enjoyed enormous popularity. In fact, His support reached a fevered pitch resulting in a spontaneous public outpouring of affection and adoration. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt, throngs laid their coats in His path and waved palm branches and shouted as if to royalty!

Then it all shifted - literally almost overnight. By the end of the week, that crowd cried out for His blood. The Chief Priests and the Pharisees smirked arrogantly, knowing that they had turned the tide against Him.

I'm sure that if I had been among His followers then, my elation would have quickly changed to frustration. But as my Pastor pointed out last Sunday, Jesus faced both the celebration and the rejection with the same level humility.

Jesus knew that when the rapturous exaltation of Palm Sunday was going on - The Pharisees were angry for the wrong reasons and the people were joyous - for the wrong reasons.

The Pharisees saw Him as a threat. The people also saw Him as a threat to the tyranny of Rome and the oppression of the false leadership of the Priests and Pharisees. Neither was correct.

He did come to tear down kingdoms and to liberate souls - but He brings freedom to the heart, soul and spirit. . . . His kingdom is a heavenly one.

Though I cannot say that my emotions always reflect it - I think there is a place of level humility and general peace for us as well, during these days of shifting winds. It comes from knowing that there is a heavenly kingdom. . .

. . . and this ain't it.

Jesus said "the kingdom of heaven is within you"