Term Limits

One time Anna and Norah ran up and asked me if we were going to go to the park that afternoon. I answered them by saying, “Maybe.” As soon as that word was out of my mouth, Anna grabbed Norah and said, “Come one Norah, let’s go play. When adults say “maybe” they just mean “no” but they’re trying to be nice...” 

Ouch! Busted!

What if you had all your hope wrapped up in something that could only ever tell you “no” and let you down? What if you hoped in something or someone who was actually powerless to help you in any way? Well, the long and short of it is that you will be disappointed a lot. As I look back over my life, I can think of so many places, people, companies and things I had my hopes set on that simply didn’t produce... like those cereal box tops I mailed in to get a free He-Man action figure that never showed up or the $140 Air Jordans that were too small for my feet after three or four weeks. Over the years there have been concert tickets I’ve bought for artists who couldn’t or didn’t show up and jeans I’ve bought that have fallen apart in no time. For weeks I’ve been patiently waiting for our tax refund and right now I’m waiting on a drywall guy that was supposed to be here four hours ago! If there’s one thing this world rocks at, it’s letting you down. 

There is no person, privilege, ability, group or government that can meet all the convoluted and complicated needs of the human heart and when we start pinning our hopes on anything or anyone in this world, we wind up frustrated, disenchanted, confused and disoriented or even betrayed. When we expect the people in our lives to completely ‘get’ us, we wind up hurt when they don’t. When we expect our leaders to perfectly represent us and our values, we wind up angry when they don’t.

That’s why I was so pumped when I read Psalm 146 this morning... “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God...”

You see, I have real needs that weigh me down and real problems I can’t solve. I have issues a-plenty that I can’t even begin to handle and I desperately need someone who absolutely can handle these things. I need someone I can actually count on who not only completely knows me, but completely knows what to do and has the power to do it! I need Someone without term limits who wasn’t elected by anyone’s wisdom, but simply is the Sovereign Lord. I need God, who reigns over all to help me! The people in your life will eventually let you down. Your government, no matter how much you tailored it to your own preference, can’t save you. When those folks are gone, so is there power and impetus! The only real change that can take place in the life of a person is the change that happens when the Lord of heaven and earth comes in and helps by His Almighty power! That’s the help I need! That’s the One I’m going to call out to!