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War, destruction and government collapse have destroyed even the greatest empires in history. Yet, from the beginning, God has remained in charge, seen in Jesus’ earthly ministry and His heavenly reign.
As Christians prepare for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter, it remains important to reflect on the Church’s seriousness and central role in civilization.
Christians have existed for over two thousand years, never being eliminated, yet growing in number. Today, the Bible remains the world’s bestselling book, and Christianity is the largest religion worldwide.
As the holy days continue to approach, Christians from all over the world will flock to church, kneeling and praying to God, thanking Him for His mercy, grace, and salvation. Christians do not do this only in remembrance, but in action.
Jesus commanded His followers to be the light and salt of the earth, not to sit idly by as time passes. From war room negotiations, to feeding the poor, to helping one’s neighbor, the Christian faith demands action, actions that honor God and serve one’s fellow neighbor.
Jesus was a Jew Himself and knew national pride was inevitable for all the people of the world. The same practices are observed today, with most people embracing their ancestral heritage and honoring their national identity. While acceptable, it serves us well to remember that the Kingdom of Heaven will be filled with all people, from all walks of life.
Leaders, whether elected or in a position by force, are temporary, but King Jesus reigns forever. The Scriptures are clear that all will be judged by the Lord Himself. The Old Testament shows rulers realizing their helplessness before the sovereign God of the world. Lest we forget Nebuchadnezzar, who was driven from men and ate grass like an ox (Daniel 4:33). We are seeing in our own time what history has always shown: when truth is discarded, disorder soon follows.
God surely blesses nations and guides them for His own glory. From the United States to Kenya, every nation is subject to His will and providence. The leaders who seek to walk with Him and abide by His ways tend to achieve the glory and blessings bestowed directly from Him.
President Calvin Coolidge once expressed a similar humility, recognizing himself as an instrument in God’s hands.
For reasons we often do not understand, division and strife still darken humanity’s goodness, but the love and mercy of God can overcome the world’s darkness. The season of Lent and Easter makes this even more certain.
Life’s decisions are so simple, yet difficult to carry out. During World War I, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George framed the moment as a choice between Christ and chaos. That warning remains applicable today.
This is why nations fall: not simply from foreign enemies or economic weakness, but from moral decay, spiritual blindness, and the rejection of God’s authority. America is not immune to this pattern.
Will the people of the world kneel to Jesus, embrace the Beatitudes, the Golden Rule, and the Greatest Commandment, or trust in their own ways?
Saying peaceful words or nodding in agreement is easy, but carrying out the actions is much more difficult. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ show that this world is temporary and that we, too, can live forever with Christ.
