Shutdown

As the news cycles fill with talk of a government shutdown, many feel uncertainty and even fear. Questions about paychecks, programs, and policies weigh heavy. But as believers, we are reminded of a greater truth: governments may rise and fall, economies may boom and collapse, but the Kingdom of God is unshakable.

The prophet Isaiah wrote, “The nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales” (Isaiah 40:15). That doesn’t mean our government and its leaders don’t matter, but it reminds us that their authority is temporary and limited compared to the eternal reign of our Lord.

When Paul instructed Timothy, he didn’t tell the early church to panic about who was in power or what laws were being passed. Instead, he said, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Even in the face of corruption, persecution, or instability, the church was called to pray and trust.

So in these uneasy times, let’s lift our eyes higher than Washington. Let’s pray for those in leadership, pray for our neighbors who feel anxious, and pray that the gospel would shine brighter in dark moments. And let us hold to the unshaken truth that our hope is not in the hands of Congress, but in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ.

The shutdown may disrupt daily life, but it cannot shut down God’s plan. His Kingdom is still open, His throne is still occupied, and His promises are still true.