At this point, everyone has seen the footage of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. There is still much to learn about the shooter, his motivations, and how he managed to come so close to killing the former and likely future President of the United States.

However, one thing is certain: a Sovereign God spared the life of Donald Trump, and He has a plan for what happens next.

We praise Him on the throne for His goodness in this moment. Believing in the value of human life, we would praise God for His goodness in sparing the life of even our political opponents, which Donald Trump is not. But, we are additionally grateful for what God has protected our nation from – the loss of the leading candidate for president and the division such a loss would cause.

Today, I am also grateful for Donald Trump’s recognition that it was “God alone who precented the unthinkable from happening.” My prayer is that the Lord will use this instance to bring the former (and likely future) president to himself, to humble him and call him to repentance, and to spark the realization that submission to the will and authority of the Living King is the only thing that will bring him fulfillment in the calling laid out before him.

As the Church praises God for His act of sparing Donald Trump, I want to encourage each of you to resist a particular temptation – to think of the turning of Trump’s head that allowed the bullet to “miss” as a singular act of God’s intervention.

Yes, God spared Trump. But, no, my friend, God has never had his hand off the wheel.

Our nation is on the precipice, and we seemingly have been for some time. Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve seen a presidency rocked by a sex scandal, an unprecedented recount, the Twin Towers fall, the historic nature of Obama’s candidacy, the radicalization of politics, arguably the greatest political upset in American history, a global pandemic, the two oldest candidates in history running against each other, unparalleled political contention, bitterness, and lawfare, the rematch of the two oldest candidates in history, the mental unraveling of the Oval Office, and now this assassination attempt. Yes, the “history making” nature of these events and periods are drawing closer and closer together.

Through all of it, God’s sovereignty has never been in doubt. His plan and will has been executed, and His guiding hand has never left the United States of America, the leaders He has installed, or the world He has called us to be a beacon unto.

God’s sovereignty was not a mere instance of exercise – it is who He is and it is how He reigns.

Nothing is more perspective-defining for the Christian than this. Through it all, God calls us to be faithful. We are to work, labor, and engage with earnest diligence and genuine love for Him and for our neighbor. Yet, none of the results are incumbent on us nor is any of it in doubt.

The beautiful rest and peace that comes for a Christian in a broken and fallen world that is distraught, turbulent, and in despair surpasses understanding!

In these turbulent times, never forget that He is in control. It is God’s plan that Joe Biden – for all his incompetence and wickedness – be President of the United States at this moment. It is God’s plan that Donald Trump have faced and been spared from this assassination attempt.

And, we know that God’s plan is for the good of His people – even when we don’t see.

So, please, do not fall into the trap of thinking God jumped in at the last minute to save Trump. Through it all, He has been working. Through whatever is to come, He remains at work. And, whatever He has planned for us, our nation, and our leaders is the script only He can write.

It may not be comfortable.

It may not be what we would have written.

It may, in fact, be painful or against what we feel our interests are.

But, it is good, and He wins.

May you find that comforting today and in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

PS. As this email was going out, word broke that Donald Trump has selected Ohio Senator JD Vance as his pick for Vice President. Tune into our upcoming podcast for our thoughts on the selection!