The State of the Union Sermon

The President preached to me last night.

The annual State of the Union Address is not something I typically enjoy watching, but I do because I need to be informed. (And also because I want to hear what Brit Hume has to say afterwards…he’s my news journalism hero/favorite television old guy. Rock on, Brit. Rock on.)

I didn’t watch all of it, mostly because I have a somewhat low political threshold. But I saw most of it. He talked about women’s rights, minimum wage, unemployment, health care, bipartisanship (a fancy word for Republicans and Democrats trying to get along), and other issues. I’m not here to rehash the whole speech for you or respond politically, because let’s be honest—that would be both boring and predictable.

But you’re still waiting to hear how he preached to me, right?

You know when God is teaching you something, it pops up everywhere? Yeah, that happened to me last night. Via the President.

It’s Like This

I don’t agree with much of the President’s ideals or plans for our country. And while I’m not particularly well-versed in politics or government, I know enough to take a stand on what I believe, and I can generally discern what’s good and what’s not. Let’s not talk specifics right now—just believe me when I say I don’t agree with the current administration.

So when I listen to speeches like last night’s, I get nervous. I’m a twenty-something who, Lord willing, has a lot of life left. I think about the future and what politicians want to accomplish and I am overwhelmed and scared and I get this the-end-of-life-as-we-know-it feeling. Which probably isn’t true at all, but sometimes my reactions happen in extremes.

Which is when God says, “Uh, helloooo…I’m over here, and I’m sovereign! Always have been, always will be, and there’s nothing you or he can do about it. Are ya gonna trust me?”

The more the President spoke, the more I realized it was God who I have to trust, not the President (whoever that may be). He didn’t crack open a Bible, but I sort of felt like he was preaching.

So thank you, Mr. President, for reminding me that you’re not as powerful as we think you are. God is the One who is Sovereign over all—even over the sovereign. He’s not surprised by anything that happens here, and it is He who I am to trust. God’s the One in control, no matter what the President, or Congress, or Brit Hume have to say.