Give Grace A Chance

Donald J. Trump

 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. (Genesis 48:17 NIV)

Joseph thought his father, Jacob, was making a mistake in blessing Ephraim, the younger son, first, before his older son, Manasseh.   God is sovereign in who he picks and chooses.  We should be very careful in trying to correct God, as Joseph did, about whom God shows his grace to on this earth.

The commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “Grace does not follow the order of nature, nor does God use those whom we think most suitable to be used, but he does as he pleases.”  The cultural norm of the time was for the first-born son to get the first blessing.  The Bible is full of exceptions to this rule, Abel above Cain, Isaac above Ishmael, and Jacob above Esau, for a few.

God has made a statement of favor in our country.  We have elected a new chief executive, Donald Trump.  Many are upset about the election.  For Christians, maybe we should ask ourselves a question.  Did Jesus die on the Cross and give favor to us because of our goodness?  God looks at us not as we are, but how we can be.  To those who have received such grace, should we not also extend that to our political leaders?

If I read my Bible correctly, it tells us to pray for and submit to those in authority over us.  We may not like everything Donald Trump does.  God doesn’t like everything I do.  Disagree with him where you must, but respectfully support our duly elected leader who God has placed over us.  Give grace a chance.

Image used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
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