The Bible has much to say about the careful management of money, property and about wisely preparing for the future. Scripture affirms the wisdom of a balanced budget—whether talking about an individual, a business or the government: Significant debt is unwise and foolish! A few years ago, columnist and economist Robert Samuelson poignantly observed that “It’s getting harder and harder to write these budget columns, because it must be obvious to almost everyone by now that hardly anyone in Washington (or perhaps any place) cares about the budget deficits.

Solomon further explores the mysteries of God’s sovereignty and providence, and the gift of joy that He offers humanity.

The 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, was a watershed in judicial history. The 7-2 decision established the right of a woman to abort her baby up to the point of viability, usually understood to be during the first trimester of the pregnancy. The Court also permitted other situations where an abortion could occur within the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The result was that America had one of the most liberal abortion standards in the world. Abortion therefore has been at the center of the culture war battles since 1973.

Solomon begins to investigate the mysteries of life in light of God’s providence.

In last week’s Issues in Perspective, I quoted conservative author Rod Dreher: “. . . The conservative believes that there exists an enduring moral order. That order is made for man, and man is made for it: human nature is a constant, and moral truths are permanent. This word order signifies harmony. There are two aspects or types of order: the inner order of the soul, and the outer order of the commonwealth. . . . The problem of order has been a principal concern of conservatives ever since conservative became a term of politics.” Our 21st century world has experienced the hideous consequences of the collapse of belief in a moral order.

Solomon draws three strategic conclusions from God’s providence over His world. Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Buzz it up Share via MySpace share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Bookmark in Browser Tell a friend

One historical aspect of America’s political culture is the rise and fall of political parties. The Federalist Party was the “faction” (George Washington’s term) associated with George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. By the presidency of James Monroe it was dead. The Whig Party emerged in the early 1800s, but by 1856 it was dead, replaced by the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln. Today, the Republican Party seems hopelessly divided and the infighting is potentially fatal: Witness the intense struggle over Kevin McCarthy’s effort to become Speaker of the House. That struggle gave every evidence of a Party gravely divided.

Solomon ends his discussion of the futility of materialism and brings God into his evaluation of the meaning of life.