In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Americans are left wanting answers surrounding the tragedy. One brave father present at the rally, Corey Comperatore, died protecting his family from a stray bullet. Two other attendees, James Copenhaver and David Dutch, suffered critical injuries but are now recovering in stable condition.
The near miss on President Trump was nothing less than breathtaking. Had the Republican nominee not turned his head at precisely the correct moment, the sniper’s murderous intent would have been realized. Had the position of the bullet been just one inch to the right, the course of American history would have changed forever in a Pennsylvania field. One cannot come closer to death and emerge unscathed.
While we commend the brave men and women who shielded the president amidst the chaos, questions about the ordeal remain. How was a building just 130 yards from the rally’s stage left unsecured? Why was our 45th president allowed to begin his speech while a twenty-year-old killer was simultaneously evading authorities? How could witnesses identify the shooter on the roof a full two minutes before his first shot and nothing be done? Why were there no countermeasures before the assassin’s first shot fired?
Hopefully, in time, we will have answers to questions like these to hold those responsible for such deadly blunders accountable. While we wait, I’d like to answer a question of a different sort that, admittedly, not as many people are asking. What spiritual lessons should we learn from the near death of Donald J. Trump? What does the incident teach us about ourselves? Or about the God we serve? Let me suggest three important takeaways.
First, the former president’s near demise exposes how fragile we are. Though every human is made in the image of God, possessing an eternal soul, each of us is but a single catastrophe away from passing into eternity. Because the treasure of God’s imprint is in earthen vessels, everyday men and women of all ages die (2 Cor. 4:7). Despite the great feats of humanity, the Bible says we spring up like a flower and wither away like a fleeting shadow (Job 14:1-2). The number of our days is but a handbreadth, a mere blip on God’s eternal radar (Ps. 39:3-5). Truly, we are here for a moment and then we vanish away (James 4:14).
The recent events were an unwelcomed reminder of how quickly we can, and will, lose everything. Life can end in an instant. History can change in a moment. Disease may ravage our bodies. Decline may swallow up our achievements. The design of others may steal away the time we have left. Every single day, weakness swallows up those who were once strong. These realities do not leave us hopeless, however. Our temporary frailties reveal the eternal strength of our God like nothing else (2 Cor. 4:8-11).
Second, the miraculous intervention that saved Donald Trump’s life reminds us that God is sovereign over all things. Some might chalk it up to luck or random chance, but you will never convince me that God did not spare the life of Donald Trump on July 13. God’s sovereignty speaks to the fact that He rules over heaven and earth. The Lord has established His throne and He rules over all (Ps. 103:19), including human history (Ps. 66:5-7). We exist because of God’s providential care, whereby He creates us, establishes our boundaries, and sustains each breath we take (Acts 17:26-28).
Thus, we can live with confidence that the God who knew us in the womb has written down all the days prepared for us (Psalm 139:16). We cannot add nor take away one moment He prepares for each of us (Job 14:5). Our ways are before Him, and He watches all our paths (Prov. 5:21). I do not pretend to understand all the reasons why God spared the life of President Trump, but I am confident that He will bring it to pass just as He has planned. The same is true for each of us.
Finally, our greatest problems are not political, nor are the solutions our world needs. The wickedness required to eliminate your political enemies by means of assassination is undeniable. Ironically, even those typically hesitant to speak of matters in terms of right and wrong cannot deny the moral repugnancy of last weekend’s cowardly act. Only God can help us find our way again. Politics are not insignificant, but neither are they ultimate.
Perhaps this is the moment we need to humble ourselves before the Lord. May we heed the counsel of the psalmist who said, “Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance (Ps. 33:8-12).”