To say that people are gobsmacked by the overwhelming support by Christians for President Trump is an understatement.
While I can understand why those from the party that booed God don’t get it, recent jabs by rightwing pundits are making it hard to differentiate between conservative purists and political snobs.
A recent piece at Townhall.com by Bernard Goldberg shows he is baffled how “people of faith who supposedly admire civility and decency and detest abortion” could support Trump. National Review’s David French recently opined: “Moreover, the complete shock of Trump’s win (followed quickly by the Gorsuch nomination) forged a bond between older Evangelicals and Trump that isn’t easy to break.”
It’s not that hard to understand. Believers understand the Bible says God installs and removes kings, or presidents in this case. That doesn’t mean God manipulates the vote count. It means God uses leaders to further his will for his divine purpose.
Throughout history, God has used immoral and even wicked men to sometimes bless and other times punish people and nations. Although he uses them, it doesn’t mean he grants them special favor nor does he condone their sin or wickedness.
On that note, I believe Barack Obama was chosen specifically to be used by God as a theoretical magnifying glass, helping us to see how debased we are as a nation. Many Evangelicals voted for a man who ushered in anti-Christian policies like Obama’s support for taxpayer-funded abortions and other policies which in turn unleashed hell on Christian bakers, the Little Sisters of the Poor and Hobby Lobby. Obama wasn’t a friend to Israel, either.
If Obama was God’s choice for America, then so is Donald Trump.
The eight years of Obama’s presidency sent true believers to their knees praying 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Then, against all odds and effort from all sides to take him down, Trump won.
And those with calloused knees rose from their tear-stained prayer closets, believing that God heard their cries and answered their prayers…in the strangest of ways.
Six months-in, they note tremendous accomplishments.
Despite all the chaos stirred by the anti-Trump left, right and center, supporters have watched Trump tear down Obama’s figurative Asherah poles. Even without a wall, they feel safer, with border security markedly improved, illegal border crossings greatly reduced and sanctuary cities put on notice.
While the left and establishment folks run down Russia rabbit holes, Trump is quietly reshaping America’s judicial system for years to come, naming many young conservatives nominees to the federal bench.
And Neil Gorsuch.
While they are preoccupied with special investigations, Trump is unshackling the free market from senseless regulations, allowing the economy to expand, jobs to increase and the stock market to rise.
Supporters understand that Trump is making good faith attempts to keep his promises, despite a recalcitrant Congress and GOP Judases like my state’s own special interest pawn, Lisa Murkowski.
Trump signed an executive order in May to protect religious liberty. In response, Little Sisters of the Poor’s Mother Loraine said, “Today we are grateful for the president’s order and look forward to…caring for the elderly poor and dying as if they were Christ himself without fear of government punishment.”
Why, in Heaven’s name, would Evangelicals walk away?
Rest assured, the same God who raised up Trump will keep him in office as long as he sees fit. Therefore, efforts to take Trump down will be about as effective as spitting into the wind. Prayer works, though. Ask a Trump supporting Evangelical.
©2017 Susan Stamper Brown Susan lives in Alaska and writes about culture, politics and current events. She is a regular contributor to Townhall and The Christian Post. Susan’s nationally syndicated column is published in scores of newspapers and publications across the U.S. She writes about politics, culture and media and was selected as one of America’s 50 Best Conservative writers for 2015 and 2016. Contact her by Facebook or at writestamper@gmail.com.