“I returned and saw under the sun that – The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.”– Ecclesiastes 9:11

(Even as I go to post this article I’m dealing with the upset over scenes revealing the utter decay and disfunction of our society. Demonstrations turned into violent rioting over the Summer now spilling into our Nation’s Capitol Building. Political ideologies one-upping the other in “righteous” anger. The cloud of ugly evil and duplicity creates a veil making it hard to see where God is in all this. Yet, this is a blog about God showing up. Even as he appears to be pulling back while giving over to our growing collective selfish desires, He steps in when called. Jeremiah 33:3 – ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’)

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I had a strange “chance” encounter happen recently.

It started with a very difficult and emotional discussion with a loved one. As many are experiencing, it involved the very real health, economic, emotional and spiritual struggles going on through this pandemic. If the pressures from all that aren’t enough, the torrent of ugliness spewed from both ends of the political spectrum has generated feelings of sheer hopelessness.

At this point I must admit that I have my own political leanings but I struggle to put those aside. What I have been most angry and exorcised about is the lack of sensitivity and/or caring on the part of our political leaders as to the impact of their terroristic hyperbole on the emotional well-being of the people they serve. The politician may see it as political theater but many take it deadly serious. Yet, both sides claim they are out to rescue ‘the soul of our nation’.

One side demonizes the other as either corrupt Russian agents out to destroy the world or as power hungry manipulators bent on turning our country into the next Venezuela. For most people, it’s near impossible, what with media manipulation, to determine what is ‘fake news’ and what is true? Add the growing fear that if you dare voice your legitimate political opinions to the wrong person, they will bash your head in. It is all driving a fever-pitched despair leading to skyrocketing anxiety and depression, alcoholism, drug use, leading to deaths from overdoses and suicides (A category now referred to as “Deaths From Despair”)

After that painful conversation, along with others I know who have expressed the fear and hopelessness they are experiencing, coupled with growing numbers of those “too-close-to-home” who have died from overdoses and suicide, my own anger and frustration is boiling over. I just want to find a politician and shake some sense into them. Do I call my congressman? The Whitehouse? Do I write an op-ed piece? Do I light cars on fire, tear down statues and burn buildings? How do I exercise this anger and frustration?

So, what do I do?

I can’t sleep so I get on my knees and pray (Sorry, I know, not very radical). I cry out to my God in desperation. It is a deep emotional cry from the heart that I rarely express. Crying out for my family and for the sad state of affairs, particularly with our leaders leaving the ones I love hopeless and me feeling helpless to do anything about it. What can I do God? I cry out to God for an open window to allow me to have an impact for God’s goodness, righteousness and truth.

So, I vent all the frustration and anger to almighty God. At the end, I thank God for listening and caring and for reassuring me that He is the only Being wise enough, strong enough and gracious enough to do anything about this mess man’s solutions have brought us to.

Did God just Respond?

Okay. I breathe, sensing that supernatural peace God promises sweep over me. I’m good enough with that as an answer to my prayer. But, shortly after this prayer, I get this strange text message. Someone dialed up the wrong number and texted me by mistake. I ignored it. That was followed up with a voicemail that I did not listen to but read on the voicemail printout (They left their name. Hmm, looks familiar?) That was followed up with another text. At that point, out of annoyance, I texted back, “You have the wrong number, I am not ______”

That should have been the end of it.

I was about to delete the messages but the name left from the sender was so familiar. I checked the area code and it was a Washington DC number. Could it really be who I think it is? I listen to the voicemail and the voice leaves little doubt that it is who I think it is. OMG – The person mistakenly contacting me is a US Senator! One I had met decades ago.

Is this possible?

Oooh. Initially, I thought I should delete these messages. But, then I realize this might be an odd answer to my prayers – an opening God has provided to take this opportunity to address all my anger and frustration in a text back to a US Senator. My initial impulse was to rant – Go big and go ugly!

Wait. I stopped and took a breath. Do I really want to be one more voice of ugly rage? If this is really of God’s doing then I have to ask, “What would you have me text back?”

I hate long text messages but away I went. The message was still a bit of a rant. It was tough. Not trying to bash a political side but trying to expose the damage being caused by both sides. It was what God put on my heart to create awareness if there was none. Does this person know the impact they are having? A personal challenge. Here is what I texted back:

I realized who you are and want to let you know I have met you, supported you and voted for you in the past. It was an honor but now so disappointed in the disgusting vitriol of DC. I am no Trump fan but you and others behave no better. The worst part is that all the ugliness and hyper destruction of Trump directly impacts the health and welfare of the people you are supposed to serve. You can count yourself among the underlying causes of skyrocketing anxiety, overdoses and suicide. I hope the no-holds-barred struggle for political power is worth it. Be better.

I said a prayer and pushed ‘send’. That was that. I held no expectation whatsoever I’d get a response. (Other than law enforcement possibly showing up at my door).

Lo and Behold

I stood in shock staring at my phone. Unbelievably, I received a voicemail back from the Senator asking me to call to talk about my text. Oh boy. Wasn’t counting on that.

I meditated all day on what I would say and what to expect from the Senator. I expected rationale and justification, blaming Trump and the other side. I didn’t care to hear any of that. So, I prayed and called actually hoping to get voicemail. But, the Senator picked up. My heart raced.

The person who was on the other end was a weathered version of the chipper, bright-eyed, going-to-Washington-to-make-a-difference politician I had briefly met decades earlier. The voice was worn, sounding a bit broken and contrite. The Senator was genuinely struck by the text and wanting to hear more about my thoughts. The voice was not defensive but acknowledging that, “It has never been this bad.” To the Senator’s credit, not casting off blame.

We talked about our families and the Senator’s loved ones who were not immune to the anxiety and fear surging through our country.

I mentioned that I am a praying person and have always prayed for our leaders in a bi-partisan way. The Senator humbly acknowledged that it was going to take something like prayer to break through the dynamics of Washington. I said that, having now made this contact, the Senator would be in my prayers regularly.

After asking me more of my thoughts, I asked the Senator to be courageous by resisting the party line and working to change the tone in Washington. And, I would take it as a personal favor if the Senator would work to fight the epidemic of overdoses and suicides that rivals the number of actual Covid-19 deaths. Surely, this can be a bi-partisan fight?

After about 20 minutes, we wrapped up. I was stunned when the Senator invited me to stay in touch to continue sharing my thoughts. Wow!

So, now I pray for this Senator and for this open door. There is no doubt in my mind that this was no “chance” encounter but a crazy answer to prayer. Some people would count it a coincidence. But, for me the request, the timing, the opportunity and the odds tell me it could only have been arranged by the God I cried out to.

Where will it lead? I don’t want to overstep my invitation with the Senator, but I pray and hope that it is an avenue for God’s voice to continue to prick the heart. God’s voice drawing that Senator along with others to more of the healing and goodness intended from God for them and for our nation.

Perhaps, what I shared was all the message God intended. But, if it is more than what has already been shared, I’ll take your prayers that I be a purveyor of God’s truth, wisdom and hope to the hopeless in Washington DC.

Regardless of where this goes, I stand amazed at a loving God responding to my prayer in such an unimaginable way. Crying out to my God in desperation, my God offered an answer with a whisper of hope in a way that only He could orchestrate to say, “I am here.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 – “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”