No doubt Ben Sliney was looking forward to the first day of his new job. After all, not only was it a promotion, but it also carried with it a lot of prestige . . . and, of course, responsibility. Little did he know how much responsibility . . .
Sliney’s first day as the Operations Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was September 11, 2001. His first day expectations exploded in the wake of the Twin Towers attack, but his coolheadedness and expertise brought over 4,200 planes in US airspace down in 2 1/2 hours.
Likewise, Steven Adams took over the helm of the Strategic National Stockpile in January of 2020 before COVID-19 reached American shores (if I have all my facts right) and inherited the task of providing medical supplies to what could be one of the worst pandemics in human history if not checked. (Currently it ranks 10th).
Many would consider this a stroke of bad luck for each of these men, but if you truly believe that God is in control, then their move to leadership was exactly at the right time, for we have seen God position others (both the righteous and the unrighteous) throughout history—e.g. Esther, Cyrus, Moses, Noah, Pharoah––for His ultimate glory.
I have no doubt that the current world researchers, medical professionals, first responders (from EMTs to grocery clerks), financial gurus, and, yes, even the politicians on both sides of the aisles are the ones God meant to be there, for reasons and purposes only He knows. “For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are ordained by God” (Romans 13:1).
Unfortunately that doesn’t take away the danger, the heartache, the exhaustion, or any of the other host of emotions these individuals might experience. They didn’t ask for it, but they inherited it.
We, too, have a job. We are tasked to follow government guidelines. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1a).
But we play a greater role too. We should support whomever we can in whatever way we can. We should not be the armchair financial and medical expert casting criticisms from the safety of our own home. This morning Bill Gates commented that (and I paraphrase) in a year from now we can look back and do the postmortem. We have more important things to do now.
But above all we should pray . . . for those individuals who are tasked with the job of leading, discovering, planning, healing, and serving. In those moments of fear . . . pray for them. In those moments of boredom . . . pray for them. In those moments of frustration and critical thought . . . pray for them. Pray.
Sliney’s first day as the Operations Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was September 11, 2001. His first day expectations exploded in the wake of the Twin Towers attack, but his coolheadedness and expertise brought over 4,200 planes in US airspace down in 2 1/2 hours.
Likewise, Steven Adams took over the helm of the Strategic National Stockpile in January of 2020 before COVID-19 reached American shores (if I have all my facts right) and inherited the task of providing medical supplies to what could be one of the worst pandemics in human history if not checked. (Currently it ranks 10th).
Many would consider this a stroke of bad luck for each of these men, but if you truly believe that God is in control, then their move to leadership was exactly at the right time, for we have seen God position others (both the righteous and the unrighteous) throughout history—e.g. Esther, Cyrus, Moses, Noah, Pharoah––for His ultimate glory.
I have no doubt that the current world researchers, medical professionals, first responders (from EMTs to grocery clerks), financial gurus, and, yes, even the politicians on both sides of the aisles are the ones God meant to be there, for reasons and purposes only He knows. “For there is no power but from God; the powers that be are ordained by God” (Romans 13:1).
Unfortunately that doesn’t take away the danger, the heartache, the exhaustion, or any of the other host of emotions these individuals might experience. They didn’t ask for it, but they inherited it.
We, too, have a job. We are tasked to follow government guidelines. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1a).
But we play a greater role too. We should support whomever we can in whatever way we can. We should not be the armchair financial and medical expert casting criticisms from the safety of our own home. This morning Bill Gates commented that (and I paraphrase) in a year from now we can look back and do the postmortem. We have more important things to do now.
But above all we should pray . . . for those individuals who are tasked with the job of leading, discovering, planning, healing, and serving. In those moments of fear . . . pray for them. In those moments of boredom . . . pray for them. In those moments of frustration and critical thought . . . pray for them. Pray.
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