Governments Are Not Our God
“Cut out the Mickey Mouse! I don’t have time for this Mickey Mouse baloney!” I cannot speak for the corporate world, but in the Army the name Mickey Mouse is frequently used as a slang for unimportant, stupid, and completely unproductive tasks and activity. Because the government often uses the military for social experiments (and sometimes medical experiments) Soldiers often have demands placed upon them that have nothing whatsoever to do with their mission. Often the silly demands come from senior leaders within the Army whose appetite for detailed information can never be satisfied. Soldiers refer to these demands as “Mickey Mouse b— s—.”
Well, if you’ve ever wondered if our government is truly capable of pure Mickey Mouse baloney, the answer is yes. Just recently the government’s propensity for “Mickey Mouse” manifested itself in literal fashion. The State of Rhode Island issued 176 tax refund checks to business owners which bore the signatures of Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney. I’m not joking. Every check had the signature of Mickey Mouse as the General Treasurer and Walt Disney as the State Comptroller.
The State of Rhode Island explained this mishap as due to a technical glitch. The Comptroller’s office uses the celebrity names for training its personnel and for internal audits. In other words, they blamed their computer.
But it was no laughing matter to the 176 business owners were counting on those refunds. But they only received worthless checks. The state officials, however, promised to send out valid checks at the earliest opportunity.
All of us can recall dozens of government goofs, but I don’t want to gang up on government. It was God who instituted human Government (Genesis 9:6; Psalm 82; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). Yet the government is not to be trusted as God.
Recently, someone posted a quote on Facebook that read, “Government is the answer to all of America’s problems.” It came from a high profile politician. When I first read it, however, I thought this politician was saying “God is the answer to all of America’s problems.” And I was pleasantly surprised that such wisdom could roll off his tongue. But no, he didn’t say “God.” He said “Government.”
Friend, our government is not the answer to all of our problems. Only God can save us from the power of sin that controls our decisions and enslaves us to arrogance, greed, selfishness, racism, sexism, and perversion. Only God can save America from its enemies – and from self-destruction. Unless our government looks to God for guidance, wisdom, and strength it will never rise above the sinful thoughts and passions that enslave all people.
We have this notion that, if we only elect the right people, get a college degree, have medical insurance, wear a face mask, and wear seat belts – everything will be alright. Even the “right” public servants are still sinners who desperately need God. Most college educations have degraded to nothing more than ideological indoctrination. Medical insurance only helps you after you get sick or injured. And, if you can breathe through your face mask, then you can also inhale Covid-19 right through the fabric of your mask. A virus is very small. And seat belts will not drive your car for you. You still have to exercise skill, vigilance, and caution.
God must be our security. He must be our ultimate insurance against all harm and danger. We must submit to His rule over our lives. We must trust in His Son’s atonement for our sins and in the Holy Spirit’s transforming power to change and renew our hearts. There is no other way for our nation to recover from its downward spiral toward moral perversion, government corruption, and utter destruction. Stop trusting in the wrong things and pray to God for our nation’s salvation.
PRAYER: Almighty and merciful Father, we pray through Jesus Christ Your Son, that You will bless and save our troubled nation. Please, dear God, pour out Your Spirit upon us – as You promised through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32). Please, dear Father, by Your Spirit divine, turn our hearts to You in faith and repentance – and to each other in love and reconciliation. Just as You send a prevailing wind across our plains – so strong and relentless that it bends trees in one direction – may Your Spirit blow across this land and be the prevailing force in America to bend our hearts more and more to You. Just as You resurrect billions of trees every spring, filling them with life and clothing them with leaves and fruit – after a long winter’s death – please raise our hearts from death in trespasses and sins and fill us with Your power. Breathe a mighty revival throughout our land. Awaken our conscience, open our blind eyes, and reveal Your Son to us. Put in our hearts a hunger and thirst for righteousness – and an abhorrence and loathing for sin. Forgive our many sins and save us, O God, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Information from: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article244624662.html