Dates and Times

  Katrina, 9/11, the Challenger explosion, Kennedy's death.  These are some events in recent US history by which people in the States date things.  Every generation, every country has their own seminal event.  No doubt for Cubans now an important date will be "the year Castro died."  For refugees, it's "before we left our home."
  Isaiah was using such a reference when he said, "In the year that King Uzziah died."  Everyone to whom he was speaking knew when that was.  It was a precise date, not once upon a time.  And it told the people that it was a period of transition.  One king had died; another ascended to the throne.  Change was in the wind.
  In the States we find ourselves in this same position as we approach a new year and the inauguration of a new President.  It is the "last year of Obama"; "the first year of Trump."  As important as the President of the U.S. is in world affairs, as Christians we do not place our faith in him.  He is not worthy of our faith; only God is.  Presidents can be used by God, nevertheless we don't put our trust in them.  We put our trust in God.  And though we hope that each President will do a better job than the last, our hope is not in them.  Our hope is in God alone.  He alone is our Savior.  He alone is worthy of our faith, our trust, our hope.
  Let us pray.  Father, you alone are worthy.  You alone deserve our faith, our hope, our trust. Jesus, you are our Savior, you are our King.
  We ask you again, over and over, to bless our country, to give wisdom to our leaders, to lead us in ways of righteousness.

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