It’s the morning after. As I cradle my coffee, gazing through the window at the lingering autumn leaves—vibrant reds clinging resolutely to otherwise barren branches—a profound sense of an extraordinary journey recently completed washes over me. The scene reflects the state of our nation: hues of conviction holding fast amidst a landscape stripped bare by the winds of something dark and unyielding. At my age, I’ve seen decades of elections, felt the tremors of cultural shifts, each seismic in its own way. Yet, nothing quite compares to the upheaval that has gripped the soul of America in these recent years.
Most consequentially, we've witnessed a departure from the conviction of our inherent dignity as imago Dei—created for fulfillment in Him. In its place, a doctrine of Subjective Caprice has taken root, which regards “truth” as something molded by individual whim, untethered from objective reality. This paradigm shift has birthed paradoxes: movements professing to combat fascism employ coercion and violence, mirroring the very tyranny they oppose. Social orders, having relinquished universal truths, grapple with maintaining integrity amidst blurred lines that once defined our essence.
The erosion of these foundational truths has manifested in societal maladies: escalating violence, the scourge of human trafficking, and policies that compromise national security. This departure from objective morality has sown confusion, undermining our capacity for resilience and fostering a culture of victimization and entitlement. The result is an economy in disarray, challenges in daily sustenance, and institutionalized gender confusion that inflict psychological, physical, and spiritual harm.
Disturbingly, at times these actions are cloaked in the name of Jesus, as if He did not proclaim a narrow path with clear criteria for His Kingdom—a basis for admission or rejection. At the heart of it lies a deep conviction that each of us is endowed with the capacity to choose.
This morning, hearing Donald Trump's early morning acceptance speech, I was specifically drawn to his words corresponding to having miraculously survived an assassination attempt, "Many people told me that God spared my life for a reason...." A flicker of his defiant fist in the air and blood streaming down his face crossed my mind. It was then that it all came clear. Wrapped in the image of tenacious red leaves before me. The real meaning of an extraordinary "Red Wave." The color red, symbolizing blood, evokes the deepest traditions of faith—life poured out for the salvation of the world. It's a reminder that our journey is about being perfected through an objective good beyond our determination.
For those with honest eyes to see, there is an awareness that throughout history, God has chosen individuals of profound imperfection—like David, whose transgressions led to repentance and redemption—to be means of a more excellent human order corresponding to our nature in God. As long as we draw breath and seek truth, we remain instruments of His purpose.
While for now it seems that the greater good has reclaimed near-total governmental power, it remains very limited and flawed. We have to remain vigilant against the whispers of Wormwood, suggesting that a genuinely flourishing social order depends upon an ambiguous "them." The pursuit of human excellence begins with me, and every other person who knows themselves as a "me," who knows themselves as one appointed and anointed with a divine nature, with an unsurpassed capacity to love with the heart of the Father and care for every person.
In the end, our fate in this present moment is not ultimately dependent upon the might of Mordor or the valor of Rohan, but the choices we make now to embrace the truth of whose we are—to live it abundantly. To remain connected to the One who made us, such that we can remain attuned and rightly discern distraction. This is the real red wave, blood overflowing from us into those closest to us—our spouses and families, and our communities. All of this is marked by sacrifice—the word literally meaning "to make sacred."
By God's hand, each of us are profoundly loved and have been “elected.” May our response now truly be the red wave that marks each of us. Life giving blood poured out for the good of others, reverberating throughout the world for the glory of God.
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BUY NOW: “The Magnificent Piglets of Pigletsville” our present-day plight wrapped in a fairytale, predicts everything over the past year and reveals what lies beneath.
LISTEN NOW BELOW. I wrote and released this a few months ago, along with eleven other tracks on Shatterglass Scallywags' “Heal Our Land” album. It says it all.
Living in a world, divided and torn
Red against blue, humanity scorned
They profit from anger, fights, and fears
It's time to break the chains
It's time our vision clears
Behind the screens and scenes,
they pull the strings
But we declare freedom
and all it brings
At the heart of it all
we have a choice
It's soul searching time
to raise one voice
Renounce the lies and jaded schemes
That turn, twist and splinter dreams
We stand my friends, in dawn's new light
Hearts awakened and burning bright
We're reduced to pixels, dots on a screen
Lost and anguishing in the machine
But look past the surface, see the heart within
We're all desiring to be loved, where love begins
It's not about left or right, red or blue
His sacred blood binds me and you
The past is gone, what we have is now
Forged in love, our sacred vow!
Renounce the lies and jaded schemes
That turn, twist and splinter dreams
We stand my friends, in dawn's new light
Hearts awakened and burning bright
In the noise of division, hear the quiet call
To love each other deeply, in the depths of it all
In God’s image, we are all made
Not war but love is how we're saved
Renounce the lies and jaded schemes
That turn, twist and splinter dreams
We stand my friends, in dawn's new light
Hearts awakened and burning bright
Live not by what others do for you
We're blessed to bless others true
In the power of the One we're made
Not puppets marching on parade
In the ultimate drama, we're called to be
The heroes of love, setting captives free.