Saved by God for a Purpose?

On March 4  President Trump delivered his annual “State of Union” speech to Congress in which he highlighted all the things he had already done since taking office on January 20: the DOGE cuts, instituting tariffs, his interest in gaining control and sovereignty of Greenland, and  Panama, and his plan to “make America great again.”

Near the end of the speech, he referred to the attempt on his life by a would-be assassin in Butler, PA when he said: “I believe my life was saved in Butler for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.” The Republicans in the room cheered wildly; the Democrats remained silent.

Linking God to the Events in Our Lives

Linking God with noteworthy events in life is common in American culture. When something goes well — we get a raise, are promoted, or are admitted into the college of our choice– it is common for people to say that it is a blessing from God. And when things aren’t going well, people will often say that it is a test or trial that God is using to build character or, even worse, a punishment for some harm caused to others. On a national scale, when one wins an election or the military prevails in war, we praise God for giving us the victory. It is common for us to link events in our personal or national life to the purposes of God. So, while one may take offense at Trump saying God allowed him to survive so he could make the nation great, it is common in our culture to make those connections no matter what one’s religious or political views are.

Several months have passed since the incident in Butler. Trump is two months into his presidency. His administration has initiated various changes: reducing the federal workforce, cutting funding for several government programs, proposing the closure of agencies like the Department of Education, and instituting tariffs against some allied nations. These actions reflect his administration’s priorities. If he was chosen to lead our country, it is not God’s doing. We, the American voters, are responsible; we voted him in.

As far as God is concerned, I don’t have a clue what God is up to (if anything), but its deeply disturbing that an arrogant, lying bully thinks he is some sort of divine gift to the United States, and that thousands of MAGA faithful and Christian nationalists have anointed him as a God-ordained leader. In a matter of fifty days he has succeeded in belittling and threatening some of our closest allies, forced thousands of government workers from their jobs under false pretenses, threatened to take over Greenland, Panama and Canada, and initiated tariffs against some of our best trading partners, so that we the citizens and consumers can pay higher prices for his arrogance and avarice.

The Cry of the Suffering

In Psalm 73, the psalmist is in great pain and confusion. The promise of God’s blessing on the righteous seems to have fallen flat, while the wicked seem to be prospering mightily. He writes of the wicked who are in power:

               They suffer no pain; their bodies are fit and strong

               They are never in trouble; they aren’t weighed down like other people.

               That’s why they wear arrogance like a necklace,

               Why violence covers them like clothes.

               They scoff and talk so cruel.

               From their privileged positions they plan oppression. (Psalm 73. 4-6, 8)

The psalmist contrasts his own experience to theirs:

               Meanwhile, I’ve kept my heart pure for no good reason;

              I’ve washed my hands to stay innocent for nothing;

             I’m weighed down all day long; I’m punished every morning. (Psalm 73. 13-14)

He complains, but then holds on to the one thing he is assured of:

               But I was always with You!

               You held my strong hand.

               You guided me with your advice;

               Later you will receive me in glory.

               My body and my heart fail,

               But God is my heart’s rock and my share forever. (Psalm 73.23-24, 26)

God’s Presence and Waiting

Liberation theologian Gustavo Guitierrez notes that despite the seeming prosperity of the wicked, God is still present to the Psalmist; that is the source of assurance and hope. Gutierrez writes, “God is a presence that leads amid darkness and pain, a hand that inspires confidence. Not all ignorance is dispelled, but the route is clearly marked.” When speaking of the suffering of those who are innocent of any wrongdoing, and when they don’t have a clear idea of where God is at work,  Gutierrez says to pause and wait on God. He writes, “Silence, the time of quiet, is the first act and necessary mediation for the time of speaking about the Lord…” First, we are silent, then we enter into a time of contemplation before God until God’s guidance reveals how we are to respond with words and action.

The time of waiting, the time of silence and contemplation, allows us to muster our courage and wisdom to know how best to respond to the vulgar greed and arrogance of the current administration. While waiting, we can rest in the assurance that God is present, and we are not left to our own devices. Although sometimes it is difficult to discern how God is present and at work in our midst, in time God’s Spirit will show us the path to liberation and justice. So let us take comfort in God’s presence, and be ready when the time comes for us to move out!

Notes

Gustavo Gutierrez. (1987) On Job: God -Talk and the Suffering of the Innocent, pp. xiv, 91.