Wake Up, Look Up

Hello, everyone. Thanks for listening to wake up, look up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch. And in today's episode, we're asking the question, is God watching the market? This is prompted by an article I read in CNN under the headline, this is the stock market's worst start to a presidential term in modern history.

But let's be honest. You and I didn't need CNN to be asking this question. It's probably a question that we've been asking every time we check our portfolio or if you're smarter than me, every time you resist the urge to check your portfolio. That's because because of president Trump's tariff policies, the market in response has been plummeting. The S and P, as of the time of this recording, has dropped 15%, prompted primarily by fear as to what the economic effects globally will be of president Trump's tariff policies.

He's enacting charges on countries for importing and exporting goods into The United States. Economists all over the country are warning about a recession, and what was once thought to be a strong economy seems now to be in danger. In fact, estimates argue that 60% of Americans have already been affected, and that's about three or four days into this policy, with that number expected to rise over the next few weeks. Economic uncertainty causes us more stress often than any other kind of uncertainty. When something threatens our financial stability, it can really make us uncomfortable, which is how a financial problem or financial anxiety can pretty quickly become a spiritual problem.

We can begin to wonder if God is watching or if God is taking care of us or if he even cares. So if you've been feeling some of that anxiety, let me offer you some biblical thoughts as to how you might process this current moment in our economic landscape. First, remember that, bold leadership is often a good thing according to the Bible. Now bold leadership isn't the same thing as wise leadership. On the one side of the political article where we I'll we're being told, hey.

At least the president is operating with conviction, and he is. He has doubled and tripled down at every turn. On the other side, we're being told that boldness in the face of everyone disagreeing with you sounds a lot more like stupidity. I guess maybe at this point, you're free to have your own opinion on that. History and time will tell.

But the Bible is full of instances where world leaders are acting decisively, sometimes for the good of the world, sometimes not. It's important to connect another biblical principle to that, which is that nations rise and fall. You know, in America, we have this idea that somehow we know for sure God's favor is on us and that God's desire is for there to always be in America, which is why when something like this happens and the economy begins to unravel, we are thrown so off kilter. But the truth is the history of humanity is a history of nations rising and falling. Look, I love America.

And as an American, I'm kinda hopeful things work out. But that's probably how the Romans felt or the Ottomans or the Byzantines. The point is history is full of empires that have risen and fallen. The one constant as they rise and fall is the God's promises and his kingdom keep moving. God's kingdom is unshakable.

That's why in second Peter three thirteen, Peter is calling us to hope in something more substantial. When the market takes a nosedive, I'm not happy about it. Like you, I would rather my portfolio be up. But when it goes down, the shakiness I feel is a spiritual reality that I should be grateful to be able to identify. Jesus told us that building on him is building your house on the foundation of rock, but building on anything else is building on sand.

I'm just not always sure I know the difference or that I've built on sand until things start to get shaky. So instead of asking where is God in this moment of recession, maybe instead I should be asking and you could join me if you wanted to. Hey, God. Have I put my confidence in the wrong place? Because after all, the Bible tells me time and time again, my worth is not in my wealth.

My hope for the future is not in my ability to provide, but rather in God's faithfulness. And, of course, God works not only in the good things of life, but the bad things. In the book of Romans, when Paul says, what can separate us from the love of God? And he goes through famine and sword and pestilence and on and on. He could have just of e as easily thrown in an economic downturn, a stock market crash, a recession.

Look, I'm not an economist. I don't know if these tariffs will work. I don't know if the market will recover, but I know God's not surprised by any of it. And I know my unrest is an opportunity to remember to put my faith in God who's always rising and never falling, unlike the market. Hey, thanks for watching this episode of Wake Up Look Up.

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