Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do...

I Chronicles 12:32, ESV

I want you to understand this at the outset: This article is not an attempt to get you to think or to vote in a certain way. I say that because there are plenty of political outlets for you to get that type of information. I also say that because we live in a divided nation wherein, if a person's worldview is challenged in any way, it is immediately taken as enemy action. Consider this article an attempt to just get people to think for themselves about what is going on, and then make a prayerful determination as to what to do.

In Isaiah 44, we read of a man who cuts down a tree. With part of the wood, he lights a fire and cooks a meal. With part, he carves an idol, then bows down to it and prays. God makes the observation that the man is not thinking. In fact, Isaiah records God's message in Isaiah 44:19 that "no one stops to think". Does that sound vaguely familiar to you when you contemplate the world in which we live? 

Now for the part that many will consider political. I encourage you to put aside political allegiance for a long enough moment to consider the following: If you have watched any news at all in the past year, you are aware that we have a leader who is not as mentally sharp as he once was. In fact, he is often in need of someone to show him where to go and what to do in the most basic of human activities. To be direct, we have a President who does not always know where to stand or what to say. Once an excellent speaker and debater, our President rarely gets through a simple speech without fumbling over the most basic of words.

Yet the other day, in a publication no less esteemed than The Wall Street Journal, was contained an opinion piece that was as articulate and persuasive as could be. It essentially called for Americans to prepare themselves for the sacrifice of war. And it was signed by the President of the United States of America! We are expected to believe that the same man who has not shown a lot of mental acuity in recent years has been suddenly transformed into a silver tongued orator who is capable of rallying the nation to get behind the noble cause of war. 

What's going on? I realize in the politically charged environment in which we live that this can be an incendiary question, but it is not meant to be. I am just wondering if there are any men like those of Issachar who, during David's era, had an understanding of the times and knew what their country should do. 

Regardless of your political leanings, do you think it is reasonable to believe that a man who acts so irrational when he is in public could at the same time so articulately pen an article in private that calls upon a nation to prepare itself for the sacrifices of war? If this is not reasonable, don't you think we should then ask who really wrote that article? A better question would be why did they write this article and sign the President's name to it? And why, are they wanting to convince us that we should commit our sons and daughters to war?

Now you may think that this is not an appropriate article to be included in a Christian-themed site, but let me ask you this: If Christians do not ask the question, "What is going on" who will? If Christians defer big decisions of going to war to nameless, faceless, people, then what will happen to us? Christians, above all others, should be arming themselves with the facts and be praying to God for the right decisions. 

One last thing. I have grandchildren who are rapidly approaching the age that they will be making decisions as to whether they should serve in our military. I pray that they will have the courage to do so, if the cause they are representing is a righteous one. My family has a history of men who have served in the military stretching back to the times of the Revolutionary War, and I am fully aware that there are times when a nation must go to war. But such a decision should not be made lightly, and it certainly should not be made through deception.

I do believe that all Christians and patriots should have a clear understanding of the times. They cannot do this unless they stop, at least occasionally, to think about what is going on. In short, my intent in writing this article is not to tell you what to think. Instead, it is an encouragement for you and me to begin to think! It is also a plea to get you to be praying to the One who does know what is going on, and who also knows exactly what to do. We need to be asking Him for that help right now, don't you think?

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.

James 5:13, NIV (1978)