Two governors two mindsets - 04/30/20
Excerpt from Paul Heil's weekly Gospel Greats Newsletter;
Recently Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that his state is pulling through the virus situation, with many re-openings imminent. He said he could see "God's hand...working through the scientists across this great nation by coming out with fast, innovative drugs that would lead to therapeutic remedies." Gov. Abbott, during an online interview, told Texans that God "never promised us a life free of storms." Instead, God guaranteed "a pathway through those storms... That's what I've seen in my own life, and that's what I'm seeing in Texas." Gov. Abbott reminded his audience that they have "support you can lean on that will always be there for you, and that's Jesus Christ."
Contrast that to the recent comments by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D). When asked about the virus situation in his state, he said, "The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that." Astonishingly, no one had asked him about God's role in all of this – he just volunteered it. This is the same governor who not long ago wildly cheered the adoption of much more liberal abortion laws in his state.
Cuomo's "we did it, not God" comments remind me of so many who throughout history have egotistically touted themselves as the ultimate power – not God. God doesn't take kindly to that. He said quite clearly, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). King Herod accepted praise as a god and "immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:23).
Recently Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that his state is pulling through the virus situation, with many re-openings imminent. He said he could see "God's hand...working through the scientists across this great nation by coming out with fast, innovative drugs that would lead to therapeutic remedies." Gov. Abbott, during an online interview, told Texans that God "never promised us a life free of storms." Instead, God guaranteed "a pathway through those storms... That's what I've seen in my own life, and that's what I'm seeing in Texas." Gov. Abbott reminded his audience that they have "support you can lean on that will always be there for you, and that's Jesus Christ."
Contrast that to the recent comments by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D). When asked about the virus situation in his state, he said, "The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that." Astonishingly, no one had asked him about God's role in all of this – he just volunteered it. This is the same governor who not long ago wildly cheered the adoption of much more liberal abortion laws in his state.
Cuomo's "we did it, not God" comments remind me of so many who throughout history have egotistically touted themselves as the ultimate power – not God. God doesn't take kindly to that. He said quite clearly, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). King Herod accepted praise as a god and "immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:23).