We Have Never Been Here Before

 

Yesterday was a dark day in American history. Deep cave, not being able to see your hand in front of your face kind of dark. Regardless of one’s political leaning or persuasion, what happened in Washington D.C. was picturesque of not only moral decline, but moral depravity. A nation that pledges to be under God and indivisible was anything but on January 6^th, 2021.

In watching the coverage from several news outlets yesterday, I kept hearing the same statement over the airwaves— “We have never been here before.” Riots, protests, hatred, violence, anger, division—sure, these descriptors and descriptions have owned news headlines for decades—especially in 2020. Yet watching perpetrators invade and inhabit the walls of the United States Capitol—the mecca of legislation—was unprecedented. We truly have never been here before.

My purpose in writing today is not political or subjective. It is objective truth that unfortunate history was made yesterday that has never been made before. Yet for the people of God, it is a stark reminder that we have lived with yesterday’s headline for millennia— “We have never been here before.”

When Moses was leading Israel through the Red Sea after escaping Egyptian slavery, Moses could have looked to the heavens with staff in hand and said, “We have never been here before.”

As Joshua was marching around the city of Jericho with Ram’s Horns preparing to sound, Joshua could have said, “We have never been here before.”

 As Matthew vacated his tax booth—as Peter and John dropped their fishing nets to follow this Jewish carpenter named Jesus—those brave pioneers could have said, “We have never been here before.”

 As fearful, confused apostles watched Jesus ascend back to Heaven after defeating death—the apostles could have said, “We have never been here before.”

 As the early church scattered after the stoning of their great leader Stephen, they could have said, “We have never been here before.”

As church leaders gathered for the Jerusalem Conference to devise a system for including Gentiles into the Kingdom, that spiritual “congress” could have said, “We have never been here before.”

 As Christians were burned at the stake during the days of Roman Emperor Nero, they could have said, “We have never been here before.”

You see, difficult and challenging days are often unprecedented. Yet so are history making, God-revering hours. Faith acknowledges the tension between what we hope for and we cannot see. Christian leadership recognizes the unknown of what lies around the corner, but it also lives with the confidence that just because we have not been here before, we will survive after the fact. We will follow Father God. We will serve King Jesus. We will not quit. We will not retreat. We will press on.

America’s best days may be down the road, or they could be in the rear-view mirror. History will decide that for us. But God’s best days are always right now. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And just because we have not been here before, He has. He will see us through. If we hold His hand, we will be stronger. I guarantee it.

 Christians, keep your eyes on heaven. For if heaven is not our home, O Lord, what would we do?