The Lord is With Us

As I listen to the news I become increasingly upset, angered, disappointed, and disillusioned. How can it be that the American people are being lied to about the events so tragic and historic as our consulate in Benghazi being over run by terrorists and the administration did NOTHING to stop it, nor has anything happened to those who murdered four Americans. How can the Department of Justice and specifically our attorney General arrogantly and consistently lie to Congress about "Fast and Furious", about spying on American people--getting phone and internet messages? How can it be that in tough economic times the President takes a family vacation (one of his nearly 50 vacations while in office) at a cost of $100 million to tax payers? How can it be that the IRS is forced to confess that they were deliberately targeting and discriminating against conservative groups since 2010, that they spent 4 million on a "junket conference" for 2600 employees, that the director who plead the 5th before congress is now collecting pay on a "leave of absence" and now to add egregious insult to injury we find out that $70 million was paid out in bonuses to the very IRS that has acted illegally by bullying conservative groups, has wasted people's money on lavish parties, and has been terribly incompetent in sending 24,000 refund checks to the very same address? In this day when health care costs are skyrocketing, when the promises of Obama Care are unraveling before our very eyes--higher costs, fewer people covered, suppressing hiring of employees many people are facing financial crisis. The cost of goods and services is increasing steadily, the debt is escalating unabated, and Congress continues to focus on things that matter least to the people and does so in ways that may seem politically expedient but confound logic. People in America are NOT stupid. We look around at moral decay, economic collapse, and international chaos and then look at the actions of Congress and see a horrible disconnect. Those folks in Washington are clueless as to what really matters. All of this is quite discouraging to me. For example, most people in America see the economy and national security, strength of our military as primary issues along with energy independence and controlling the national debt. Not a coincidence that all of those top concerns are intricately related. Yet what is Congress consumed with right now? Immigration. Is that an important issue? The American people see it as important primarily with regard to securing the borders--National Security. Immigration reform is one of the least important items on people's minds right now, but it is top concern for Congress. When considering immigration the most important issue to people in the country (like 70-80%) is Border Security. But if we are honest the current immigration bill that passed the Senate has been rushed through, not read, full of holes, and DOES NOT guarantee either border security or the end to illegal immigration. We have a warmed over version of what we had in 1986 with all the same promises and no guarantees. All of this is quite disheartening for people who are thinking Americans. We see that they are playing politics in Washington. Republicans trying to win favor with Hispanics and Democrats hoping to demagogue the Republican in the House who will probably vote it down. Then there is the increasing hostility towards Christianity in the military, the requirements of the Health care bill for payment for abortions, and on and on it goes. So what are we to think? The last counsel Moses gave the children of Israel before entering the promised land is fitting advice for every believer to cling to in the challenges of life. "And the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you, He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Friends will fail us. Family will forsake us. Politicians will disappoint us. As we face the daunting realities of life it is comforting to know that the "Lord is the one who goes ahead of us; He will be with us; He will not fail us or forsake us." I need this wonderful reminder of His powerful presence.