The recent Anti-ICE protests and the partial government shutdown have brought to light some fundamental aspects of America's governance. These events highlight the tension between equality and checks and balances, and the importance of public demonstrations in seeking change. But here's where it gets controversial... The partial government shutdown occurred because the Senate approved a funding package, yet the House is delaying its vote, and the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair is in doubt. This situation raises questions about the balance of power and the role of checks and balances in American governance. As David Brooks, a New York Times columnist, points out, our cultural condition is marked by a loss of shared moral order, and we want the benefits of consensual governance without the necessity of a consensual morality. But human laws cannot change human nature. Instead, we must seek unconditional commitment to our beliefs and values, as C. S. Lewis observed in his last sermon. This commitment enables us to experience the best that relationships can offer, and it positions us to advance the shared moral order that is foundational to our cultural future. So, how can we give God 'all' in our commitment? Jesus promised that if we love him, we will keep his commandments. This love, or agape, is a fruit of the Spirit, not of human effort. When we submit ourselves to God daily, he produces this fruit in our lives, enabling us to love our Lord fully and keep his commandments naturally and inevitably. As Charles Spurgeon testified, 'I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is that I may die to self and live wholly to him.' Let us make his 'one prayer' ours today, to the glory of God.
