I do not panic – usually.

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I worked the streets of Colton, California, which is inland of Los Angeles and in one of the higher crime belts of the nation. I have been shot at, stabbed at, hit, and face a regular fight at least once a week.

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But yesterday, I felt lost, depressed, and uncertain.

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My candidate for president lost and did not respond to that loss graciously until much later. My government leaders have spent the farm, so to speak, trying to placate our fear, but have driven up the national debt to the point that it will never be paid off. The nation is bankrupt financially, morally, and politically, and I was feeling it.

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So, to end the day, Linda and I ate a simple take-out meal that was, well, less than palatable. So, we scraped it in the trash, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and went to our easy chairs to watch a movie. “A comedy,” I thought, hoping for some comic relief, but the internet was fouled up and the movie would not load. The imperfect day found us crawling into bed early, allowing sleep to cover our fears and sense of loss.

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My dog sensed my discontent and snuggled up close and we finally fell asleep…

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This morning, nothing has changed except my emotions and mindset. I have never depended on the government for handouts, but it has depended on me for its keep, regularly taking what it decides it needs from me without my approval of their budget. It has always been a one-way street, of so it seems. Yet I drive on nice streets, have police protection that I honor and respect, and with all of its faults and failures, I live in the best nation on earth at a great time in history. I am fortunate and I am blessed.

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Our nation will now change. With one political party holding all the cards, they will do what they want and those of us who do not want that change will have to suck it up and put up with it for at least 4 years. The budget will inflate, taxes will rise and the national debt will, well, forget it. The government already has.

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So, what to do? Of course! I know what to do! I always come back to the same solution every time my fear tempts me to run from it. Here’s the plan:

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“I trust in God, wherever I may be. Upon the land of on the story sea. Though come what may, from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over me.”

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The ultimate reality of existence is that we are here, as conscious humans, because of a creator who is not absent nor is He untouched by our situation. He has a plan, and unlike the plans of men and governments, His is absolute, irrevocable, and certain. He does all things well.

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Stand! There is one safe place to be in all situations and at all times – On the Solid Rock.

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A cop-out, you say? No, a refocus on reality! It is in understanding that my history and welfare is not determined by the shifting sands of politics or by the opinions of people or the press. I determine my own fate and in the hands of the creator, I choose to live in peace, love, and a positive view of the future.

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Pastor Dave