The Right Leader
While we're talking about the Daily Office, did anyone else trip over this gem in the first reading at Morning Prayer today, from Ecclesiasticus 10.4?
Which is more terrifying? That millions of Americans still believe that he did just that, in November 2000, working miraculously through hanging chads, the disenfranchising of thousands of black voters, and all the rest of the sorry tale? Or the possibility that they might actually be right?
This is the same dilemma I wrestled with for 18 long years under the Tories. And came to the conclusion that no matter how ghastly and downright wrong a government or regime may be, there is some mysterious sense in which, if God's sovereignty is a reality, it is the right government for the people at that time. But whether that is for blessing or for judgement, is another matter. In the case of 18 years of Tory rule, I think they so totally expressed and formed the crass godless materialism of 80s and 90s Britain, that we have been under judgement for it, as a result of their policies, ever since.
And while, in May 1997, I thought we had been liberated at last, and we sang in church, 'We'll walk the land with hearts on fire, and every step will be a prayer; Hope is rising, new day dawning; sound of singing fills the air," (Mission Praise 743) - after 7 years of New Labour, it's beginning to feel as if the judgement hasn't actually quite finished yet.
So should I take comfort or further cause for concern from verse 8, which adds:
Not much hope for empires, or leaders, there, then.
The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.
Which is more terrifying? That millions of Americans still believe that he did just that, in November 2000, working miraculously through hanging chads, the disenfranchising of thousands of black voters, and all the rest of the sorry tale? Or the possibility that they might actually be right?
This is the same dilemma I wrestled with for 18 long years under the Tories. And came to the conclusion that no matter how ghastly and downright wrong a government or regime may be, there is some mysterious sense in which, if God's sovereignty is a reality, it is the right government for the people at that time. But whether that is for blessing or for judgement, is another matter. In the case of 18 years of Tory rule, I think they so totally expressed and formed the crass godless materialism of 80s and 90s Britain, that we have been under judgement for it, as a result of their policies, ever since.
And while, in May 1997, I thought we had been liberated at last, and we sang in church, 'We'll walk the land with hearts on fire, and every step will be a prayer; Hope is rising, new day dawning; sound of singing fills the air," (Mission Praise 743) - after 7 years of New Labour, it's beginning to feel as if the judgement hasn't actually quite finished yet.
So should I take comfort or further cause for concern from verse 8, which adds:
Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.
Not much hope for empires, or leaders, there, then.
posted by Tony at 10/21/2004 06:08:00 pm
4 Comments:
Mabye that's why we chose to do Micah instead??
I am here because of Linux.
But I love this: a bit like asking the Lord to pray for victory for your local soccer team -- what can the poor deity do?
"...Ecclesiasticus 10.4?
The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.
Which is more terrifying? That millions of Americans still believe that he did just that, in November 2000, working miraculously through hanging chads, the disenfranchising of thousands of black voters, and all the rest of the sorry tale? Or the possibility that they might actually be right?"
Right on!
And the Bible is brilliant as usual: a text for all seasons:
"...verse 8, which adds:
Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth. "
Me, I am mostly into coffee and William Gibson's novel Pattern Recognition -- and against alligators.
You are welcome to my blog.
Aisha
Hi Aisha, welcome, thanks for stopping by. I feel a bit of a fraud as there's not much about Linux here just at the moment (mostly revelling in my new iBook toy and Mac OS X); but I still think there's a lot to learn from the whole GNU/Linux philosophy - in all spheres of life.
No problem...open source is the thing.
And Washington Post endorses Kerry.
And the wrietr William Gibson blogs again, against Bush:
http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/blog/blog.asp
My latest entry should interest you, it is musings on Psalms 103, 15-16 :)
Aisha
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