May God Bless President Biden

The church has another chance to resist the partisan pull.

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At 7:33 a.m. on November 9, 2016, I published a short post at National Review called “May God bless President Trump.” It caused a few readers to do a double-take. “Wait. Weren’t you Never Trump?” “Didn’t you oppose him so much that you almost launched a third-party run against him?” Yes and yes, but as a Christian believer, I also knew two things. First, God was sovereign over the presidential election. Second, it was my obligation to pray for our president.

On the first point, the book of Romans contains a sweeping statement about the power of God over human affairs: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

The second point is just as clear. As Paul told Timothy, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

The belief that God placed Trump in the Oval Office should lead to the same conclusion about Joe Biden. The same fervent Christian prayers for Trump should now be on behalf of the president-elect.

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  1. KSchaefer

    The transition has to start now. This can be done without giving up the legal fight in court. There are two issues here: Trump conceding, and starting the transition. His lawyers have failed to provide evidence in court of widespread fraud (and who will claim there was no pro-Trump fraud, by the way?) so the transition has to start now for the well-being of country. The 'burn it all down' approach has to stop.

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    Show Jay Janney the 🚪!

    From Reason magazine. https://reason.com/2020/11/10/the-man-who-finished-last/

    The last of the one-vote crowd to be listed on the Vermont secretary of state's website, and thus in at least one sense the man in last place, is the conservative writer David French. Those of you whose memories go back to the think-piece kerfuffles of 2019 may vaguely remember French as the target of Sohrab Ahmari's much-discussed essay "Against David French-ism." I don't see any votes for Ahmari here, so I guess we can say that the voters have spoken and Frenchism came out ahead.

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  3. Maddmac

    I honestly still can't believe this 74 year old white overweight and unattractive bloviater with an extremely deficient vocabulary who doesn't read...has this much attention and got that many votes. Like his "policies" Great!! Get someone in there who knows more than 6 words.

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      Show Jay Janney the 🚪!

      Perhaps you should get out more then....

      You'd be surprised what getting to know people does to your comprehension.

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  4. learnin4life

    I enjoyed listening to your perspective yesterday on Global GPS about why we are divided. Indeed, I became an annual member of The Dispatch to learn more about the conservative political viewpoint. Reading with an open mind is so much easier without the heated rhetoric. For that, thank you.

    You mention in passing in this opinion piece that you have significant political differences with President-elect Biden's current and past positions. I'm interested in what those differences are and an further, more detailed explanation of the basis of your views. I inquire not to criticize or argue, but instead to learn. Without understanding there can be no appreciation of another point of view.

    While it is not your role as a pundit to provide a conservative tutorial, your indulgence would certainly go a long way toward building bridges to promote greater dialogue. I will say that reading The Dispatch has broadened my political perspective, and thus has accomplished my immediate goal for subscribing. For that I am thankful.

    Looking forward to learning more in the future.




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      C C Writer

      And that is exactly what Jonah and Steve intended when they started this thing up. Welcome to the commenting community.

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  5. Brett M

    I really appreciated this column. I will join you in praying for President Biden. I know praying for someone I didn't vote for will bring much needed humility to my response to the next four years.

    But... Biden "ran a campaign focused on unity and healing"? I saw a campaign focused on "I'm not that guy who so many of you hate." Tomayto, tomahto, I guess. And even if he said some nice things in victory this weekend, consider me skeptical. He is at best conflicted over the Green New Deal, and he says he'll make the Equality Act a first-100-days priority. With healing and unity like that, who needs polarization?

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  6. Jaden

    Not directly on topic but FYI. Not a surprise, but one of many upcoming Biden EOs: BREAKING Biden will immediately revoke Trump's executive order banning critical race theory-based training in the executive government upon assuming the presidency. (h/t @fbflyer)

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    1. Joe1776

      And we will also remember this hypocrisy from our uniter:
      https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-pack-streets-celebrating-biden-janice-dean-blisters-authorities-for-hypocrisy-over-covid

      I would think the unity guy would not want to force anyone to listen to political propaganda. I also would think he would want the law to apply equally to everyone regardless of political leanings.

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        Pat Riot

        What has any of that got to do with Biden?

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        1. Joe1776

          His executive order or his refusal to ask the police to enforce the law equally?

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            Pat Riot

            Joe Biden was vice-president, so he could not have issued an EO.

            Biden has certainly never said the police should not enforce the law equally...

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    Ryan Woods

    The "wisdom to know" and "the courage to do" is an anthem in my personal prayer life, so I really appreciated you applying that to this current moment. I also appreciated you sharing not only your prayer for our president-elect but also the Church and its witness going forward. Amen and Amen. May the Lord cause us to pledge our allegiance to Him over any partisan or even national loyalty. I've also sensed a conviction to pray for 45 to be able finish the job he was elected to do over these next couple months. I hope his campaign can step aside and allow the actual administration to finish strong.

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    Jeffrushing

    A friend at my church posted that Christians who voted for Biden aren't Bible believing Christians, with many many likes and comments in the affirmative. When I posted that there are people like me in our church who voted for Biden with valid reasons, it was not received warmly, though I still believe the silent majority in the congregation agree that God isn't telling us to vote for a candidate or else lose salvation.

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    1. deathtomcmansions

      The only unforgiveable sin is to reject the Holy Spirit.

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      1. Midge

        Sometimes I wonder whether that means the only unforgiveable sin is never to repent.

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  9. The original Optimum.net

    Hope the TMD crowd acknowledges the passing today of Alex Trebek.

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      SusanC

      2020 couldn't even let us have one weekend...

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  10. Gene

    "your attitude that David's praise of Biden is somehow unnecessary or even wrong...”

    That Ms. Wright is not true, as my post states, "Yes, it’s morally right and humane to acknowledge the immensity of the moment, the depth of Biden’s suffering, and the actual virtues he demonstrated in the campaign. “

    "you think that the point of RW media is to be a mere propaganda outlet that praises RW politicians and bashes LW politicians.”

    Also false. Much of RW is propaganda. Much of conservative media is not, as in the WSJ, Commentary, National Review, Hoover Institution, CATO and Dispatch.

    "Surely you realize that many on the Right either don't watch the MSM at all, and so have a totally skewed view of Biden as an evil monster or a doddering dementia patient...”

    Maybe contrary to your perception of my post, I agree that is true, although it’s unclear how that bears on my post.

    "Just because David is acknowledging Biden's losses and accomplishments as a human, not just a politician, doesn't mean he has no disagreement with his approach to abortion, religious freedom, due process, etc.”

    As noted, my post stated, "Yes, it’s morally right and humane to acknowledge the immensity of the moment, the depth of Biden’s suffering, and the actual virtues he demonstrated in the campaign. “

    "The idea that commitment to ideology equals never saying ‘anything' good about your opponents is ridiculous.”

    Good that we agree on that.

    "For they are opponents, not enemies.”

    A noble and deserving thought. Would that pervasive and pernicious woke culture agree.
    And that Biden will act to dampen that hate-filled spread.

    It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.
    It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
    -Mark Twain

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