“There are opportunities to make NI a great place” — Edwin Poots, newly elected leader of the DUP
The true and only recipe for greatness is set forth in God’s Word.
“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great,” Psalm 18:35.
There are three cardinal factors set forth on the path to greatness.
1. Shielded by the Lord.
2. Strengthened by the Lord.
3. Saved by the Lord.
The word ‘gentle’ is a reference to the gentle, gracious dealings in mercy of God with David.
There is no greater ‘greatness’ than obtaining the end of God’s ‘great’ salvation. How is heaven to be achieved? “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young,” Isaiah 40:11.
The factors set forth in Psalm 18:35 and Isaiah 40:11 are essential if one is to increase and prosper and achieve true and lasting greatness, in any earthly endeavour, be it business or politics. The Lord must be in it for it to succeed.
It is very evident that this is not the path Mr Poots has chosen.
Yes, he is a professing believer and has confessed his belief in the Genesis record of Creation, to the amusement of blinded goons in the press.
But the steps that the DUP has taken in order to ‘achieve’ its position of political dominance are not in keeping with the words of David as quoted above.
The DUP has adopted a worldly, pragmatic path of expediency. The collective wisdom of Mr Poots and his advisors appears to be to attempt to garner and unite together the more fundamental conservative pool of founding supporters as well as the increasingly ‘liberal’ wing of the DUP. This it proposes to accomplish under the twin thrust of Mr. Poots harking back to his more traditional roots and the gathering of those who are of the ilk of the new DUP deputy leader, Paula Bradley. She is seen as one of the party’s more ‘liberal’ representatives. She was one of five DUP MLAs – including outgoing leader Arlene Foster – who abstained when a motion calling for a ban on gay conversion therapy was put to a vote in the assembly last month, refusing to vote against a very broad-based motion which left the door open for the banning of preaching the gospel.
Mr. Jim Wells was quoted in the press as saying: “In regards to Paula Bradley, I could not vote for her due to her social and moral views.”
She has been described in the press as being “far removed from the DUP’s fundamentalist wing.” “She is certainly the DUP’s most liberal representative on social issues. When asked about same-sex marriage . . . . in 2017, she predicted that it would be legalised in the next decade due to “changing attitudes”.
The DUP therefore has set its face to achieving ‘greatness’ by facing both ways and seeking to marry oil and water in order to make a strong party united around nothing!
This is the world’s way of attempting to build and advance!
We ask the ancient and most succinct question posed by Elijah!
“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word,” 1 Kings 18:21.
The great prophet sets forth the path to greatness and the path to ruin. There is no middle path as the DUP will sadly find out!
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” Matthew 6:24.
Let those who fear God within the ranks of the DUP take heed to the Saviour’s most solemn warning.
On the authority of God’s Word I can say that they cannot accomplish their desired goals but rather reap only ruin!
Rev Ivan Foster. (Rtd)
17th May 2021.