Donald Trump will not Make America Great Again

How many of you were surprised by our resent election results? Let’s see a show of hands. Ah ha, I am not alone. Looks like all of us where a little surprised. Even shell shocked. It sure looked like Hillary Rodham Clinton was our next president. And Mr. Bill Clinton our first first man. (that has a terrible ring to it, btw)

But here we are! Donald Trump, our President Elect! I won’t ask for a show of hands of who voted for him. Though if you didn’t, and since he still won, man you have the best of both worlds! If he turns out to be the next Adolph Hitler like the venerable, balanced, completely non-biased NPR would have you believe (sorry, local joke, scratch out NPR and insert liberal media of choice in the blank), than you can look your grandkids in the eye and say “I did not vote for that man”. If he turns out to save America, well he’ll be saving you too so all’s good.

So what will Donald Trump do as president? We’ve got a month and a half to speculate. Now let’s see another show of hands. Who is cautiously optimistic, especially after the appointments of several great conservatives like Jeff Sessions to Attorney General?  Here goes my hand! Who’s with me?

Now, who thinks he is just what America needs? Might he, just might he, actually save America?? Can he stop our free falling debt and revive our economy? Can he appoint Supreme Court nominees that will uphold our constitution and stand for Christian morals? Can he defeat ISIS? Will he put in place reforms much like Ronald Reagan did? Is he, in fact, our next Ronald Reagan?

Yep, the hands are very cautious to go skyward on this one.

But let’s admit it. How many of us, deep down inside, want it to be true? How many of us secretly hope that Mr. Trump will save our nation. How many of us day dream about the change that he could bring, especially with both a republican House and Senate? Even if you can’t admit to these secret thoughts (I do, in case you were wondering. Sorry. I’m kind of a day dreamer anyway), I think all of us can agree that we are breathing a sigh of relief. The evil empire is defeated. We torpedoed their death star. Conservatism won. Liberals lost. We can all relax.

Or can we?

I want to put it point blank. Donald Trump will not save America. Not. Even. Close. You see, he can’t. No mere man can. America is made up of people, and in their natural state people are radically depraved. Unfortunately, no man, including our president, can change people’s hearts. Our president and government can punish wrong-doing, but it can’t completely stop the wrong-doing from happening. What’s more, our nation was set up so that the people would have a profound say in who gets to lead them. So if our nation is indeed made up of a majority of people following the natural, selfish desires of their hearts, guess who they are going to vote for? Someone who will force them to change? Haha, of course not, you guessed it! They will vote for someone naturally fallen and selfish like themselves. As John Adams wisely put it: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Donald Trump may do a lot of good in restoring and preserving conservative--maybe even Christian--values in our country, but in the end four or even eight years is but a glimmer of time to make positive, lasting change. Take Ronald Reagan's presidency as a recent example of how lasting the positive change of one presidency is. Our nation is declining, and though it will be awesome if we at least hold steady or even climb upwards these next few years on the morality charts, we will again nose dive if we as a people don’t repent from our sinful, selfish ways and come back to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Donald Trump is not and can never be a savior. There is only one Savior for America, and His name is Jesus.

We can rejoice, maybe, that we blew up a liberal “Death Star” in that Hilary Clinton is not our next president, but believe me, the Empire still lives, and it’s getting ready to strike back (cliché, I know . . .). This Empire isn’t in some galaxy far, far away either. Neither is it a certain political party, just to be clear. It’s right here, a spiritual force of darkness bent on stealing, killing, and destroying anything that resembles goodness. We are called to throw on our spiritual armor and fight it. This is the real battle.

So don’t relax, Christian friends. As significant as it is that conservativism is getting another shot in America, we should be seeking with even more fervor something far more significant: a Christian revival! Let’s seek to show genuine love and kindness to all those we meet. Let’s be that example of those who believe by our speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Let’s pray with all sincerity that our leaders would come to faith in Jesus, that we may live quiet, peaceful lives in all Godliness and dignity. As we cultivate this faithfulness in our own lives, may the hardened ground of America again become fertile. May it blossom with the abundant life and rich spiritual fruit of a nation truly under God! Just imagine that for a minute! What if this was the start of something different in America. What if we could look back on this year, 2016, as the lowest point we ever reached as a nation before we skyrocketed back up to the prosperous, God-fearing country we once were. With Donald Trump, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.

I have no hope that America will be great again thanks to Donald Trump. But I have every hope in what my almighty God can do. That’s where my hope is. So Lord, I trust in you to save this nation, if it be your will. Help me to do my part to cultivate faithfulness in my own life and in my circles of influence. Save Donald Trump, I pray, that he may live for you. I pray you would humble him to receive the wisdom we all so desperately need, that he may know how to wisely govern our nation. I pray for each and every Christian in this nation, that we would place our hope solely in you. I pray that we would use this time of relative freedom to preach your Gospel by our words and deeds. Wake us of our apathy, and make us vibrant and proactive, instead of passive. I pray that you would use us to revive this nation to a genuine faith in you. This I pray in the powerful name of the only One mighty to save, amen!

if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14