God never shuts down!

In the US today we're experiencing another in a series of occasional "government shutdowns." That hardly leaves us bereft of government, but it makes for fascinating political theater as the parties do everything they can to not solve the problem while blaming the other side for the shutdown. (For the record, I think everybody's at fault on this one.) While the markets get nervous and some government employees are on furlough, history tells us that the long-term effects of this shutdown will be minimal. Still, a government that can't keep itself running is a concern to everyone living under that government.

I'm glad today that, while I am a citizen of the US, I am first and foremost a subject of the kingdom of God. I have a total confidence that He will always be in control, and that His kingdom will never shut down. I may experience many ups and downs in my life, but I know that my ultimate destiny is in the hands of an almighty God who promises me He will always be with me.

This confidence comes from theological beliefs. Many Christians think of theology as a difficult and esoteric field, limited to those who have the time, education, and inclination to spend hours in deep study to learn truths that rise above what the average person can understand. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Theology is, first and foremost, the study of God and His relationship to us. Every Christian is a theologian, even if they haven't been to seminary.

Theology can be a source a great comfort. The belief I state above, that God is always present and in control, relies on an understanding of the nature and power of God. God is everywhere, at all times, He loves us, and He has the ultimate power over everything He has created. That is the truth that brings us comfort today, and many Christians would agree with it.

Yet it is ultimately a theological statement. I could phrase it like this: God is omnipresent, timeless, omnipotent, and has a communicable attribute of love. I think many Christians would be, at best, puzzled by that statement. It's couched in scholarly language, which C.S. Lewis noted has the advantage of brevity at the expense of simple clarity. To me, that statement is meaningful and comforting, because I spend a lot of time studying theology and learning its "shorthand." The goal for a teacher or preacher is to make those concepts understandable to those who haven't learned the "shorthand" yet.

In the end, the comfort we find in our dependence on God is based on our theological understanding of God, however we express it.  And it contrasts starkly with any confidence we can have in man-made constructs like human government. (As an aside, if you think theological language is hard to understand, try reading the laws passed by Congress!) My nation's government is shut down today, but my King will never shut down!