“All Things Trump!”

Reading tonight over some meditations on American life which I penned in 1986-1987, I was reminded of the cult of Americanism which can affect the church of Christ in the USA.  We have by innate love and societal training a belief in our country.  Most of those of us as Christians in the USA are loyal, patriotic Americans who believe, or at least hope to believe that the soul and function of our government, made up of elected representatives and including our President are persons who at their core, and at the best of their humanity somehow represent the goodness of the human spirit and the best of human life. We want to believe, when push comes to shove, they will finally do the right thing in the eyes of our loving God.

Yet, in the past two years, our confidence, that is my confidence in our government “of the people, by the people, for the people” has been profoundly and most seriously shaken.  Much like an earthquake which had rend our national consciousness, having for these past two years endured “all things Trump,” I have found this has had a significantly corrosive effect on our (my) soul.  We have heard of so much evil and so many distortions of the truth “from the world of all things Trump,” it is becoming much more difficult for many of us, who pride ourselves in living “in and by the truth” to even know what “the truth” really is.

It is becoming more and more difficult to remember what the moral center of our self and our nation is all about!  The distortions which have emanated into public life and the political arena or “theater” of government from “all things Trump” have so corrupted us, by numbing our consciences, that real political discourse has become almost impossible.  The every 15 second news cycle of the global internet and President Trumps “all things Trump” incessant tweets have so distorted the normal discourse of public language and the daily news cycle as to be irrationally confusing.  The distortion of the truth and the manipulation of “the story” so as to drive the hourly news cycle headlines is like being inundated by a pelting rain.  The raindrops are no longer just water but are painful bullets.  To endure this daily deluge has begun to wash out the calmness and normal decorum of our souls.  We are becoming hollowed out persons, no longer able to discern truth from lies, good from evil, or lawful acts from heinous crimes.

As the Democrats in the House search for impeachable offenses in the testimony of persons like Michael Cohen and the Republicans try to destroy his credibility as a witness before the House subcommittees, we have forgotten the larger question of the day.  The question of the day is this:  “How is any of this going to help our democracy?”  At the end of the day, will proving President Trump to be “a liar, a cheat and a racist” make any difference in how this country is governed or how we bring influence for good in the larger world?  Have we become so enamored with trying to “save our democracy” that we have forgotten that our real need is to “save ourselves?”

Do we know and have we yet understood that the real problem is not our boogie man President.  The real problem is us!  We have not yet found within ourselves the moral capacity as both Republicans and Democrats and Independents to condemn this President’s actions and oust him from our public life!  By continuing to talk about “all things Trump,” we are giving him exactly what he wants, that is, “a conversation about himself.”  This man is so corrupt and so morally lacking in the core of himself, he does not care if the news is good about him or bad about him, but only that it is “all about him!”  The best thing that any of us can do for our moral and spiritual health is to IGNORE HIM!!!

The Church of Jesus Christ has a much larger purpose in its life!  Our much larger purpose is to glorify and to honor our Living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, made known to use in the person of Jesus Christ our Living Lord!

Think of the time we are wasting each day reading the evening news!  Instead of arguing and pontificating about “all things Trump,” how much better we might have spent the same time reading the Scriptures and worshipping our God!  I am bringing to a close my discussion of “all things Trump.” Two years from now, this President will be only a passing dream, a painful fart that for a time gave a fragrant stench and odor to our room! From this time forward, good or bad, I choose to IGNORE HIM!!!  I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH MY TIME!

Yesterday evening and the evening before, listening to the testimony of Michael Cohen and then the words of many political commentators of many political stripes I finally became ill at these words.  I realized the only thing I have left to do is vomit!!!  If any Christian in this nation can listen to the terrible things which this President and his cohorts of many greedy and powerful men have done on his behalf and not be ill enough to vomit, then May God help us all!!!  I have decided that I have been made sick and ill in my soul by this man long enough!  I have finally vomited him and “all things Trump” out of my soul!!!

Prayer:  “Lord Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us!  Hear our prayers as those who love you from the bottom of our hearts!  Fill us once again with the joy of your salvation!  Remind us of your goodness, your righteousness and your truth!  Help us to find our way again in the midst of this great darkness which has descended upon our nation in this season of “all things Trump.”  Rid us, dear Lord, of this plague of evil, distortion of the truth, and sickness of the public life of this nation.  Cleanse us from the unrighteousness, the cheapness of this day and the horrible nature of these awful things!  Grant us clarity enough to find a new beginning.  May we ever live in your way, your righteousness and in your truth, for I pray in your Most Blessed and Holy Name, Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior and our Redeemer, world without end.  Amen and Amen!”

Bill Wilson, servant of God by God’s grace and God’s mercy.

Let all of God’s people say, “Amen!”

“Amen!  We praise you, Lord Jesus Christ!”