Dear friend,
There is a story in the Bible about a king who lost almost everything in one afternoon.
Not to an army. Not to a plague. He lost it because he would not listen.
I think it is one of the most important stories you can read with twenty days left before the midterms.
The people asked for one thing.
You will find it in First Kings chapter 12.
King Solomon had died. His son Rehoboam was about to take the throne. And the people came to him with a simple request.
Verse 4. Your father put a heavy yoke on us. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.
That was all they asked. Make our lives a little lighter, and we will be loyal to you.
Rehoboam asked for three days to think.
Two sets of advice.
First, he went to the old men who had served his father. They told him something wise.
Verse 7. If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.
Listen to them. Serve them. And they will stand with you forever.
Then he went to the young men he had grown up with. Men who had lived comfortable lives in the palace and never carried a heavy load in their lives.
They told him to do the opposite.
So when the people came back on the third day, Rehoboam gave them this answer.
Verse 14. My father made your yoke heavy. I will make it even heavier.
What happened next.
The people looked at their new king and understood something.
He had never been listening. Not for a moment.
Verse 16. When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king. What share do we have in David? To your tents, Israel!
And they went home.
Ten of the twelve tribes walked away from the king that day. The kingdom split in two, and it was never whole again.
Rehoboam did not lose his kingdom because his enemies were strong. He lost it because the people he was supposed to serve had asked for help, and he answered with contempt.
This is America’s story.
For years, ordinary Americans went to Washington with a simple request.
Our factories are closing. Our towns are emptying. The border is open. Our faith is mocked. Please, lighten the load.
And for years, Washington gave Rehoboam’s answer.
It did not listen. Worse, it looked down. In 2016, a woman running for president called millions of these Americans a basket of deplorables. People who had built this country were told their concerns were bigotry and their faith was backwardness.
Washington made the yoke heavier. And it was so sure of itself that it never saw what was coming.
Then one man listened.
He went to the towns nobody visited. He stood in the fields and the factories and the county fairgrounds. And on the day he took office in 2017, he said this.
The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.
That is why they could not stop him. Not the investigations. Not the courts. Not the bullet. Because when a man listens to people who have not been heard in a very long time, they do not forget it.
You are not forgotten.
Twenty days from now, you will choose again. Ask yourself one question about every name on your ballot. Has this person listened to me? Or have they given me Rehoboam’s answer?
You asked me for something too.
A few days ago, I asked you a question. I asked what you would most like me to write for you next.
So many of you answered. And as I read through what you told me, I realized I could not choose just one.
So I listened. And I wrote all four.
What Comes After Trump: The Bible And The Years Ahead. What Scripture says about the years after January 2029.
Faith Under Attack: How To Stand Firm When The World Mocks You. An answer from Scripture for every attack on your faith.
Guard The Gate: What The Bible Says About The Border. Chapter and verse on why a secure border is not unchristian.
And for those of you who want everything, I have put all four of my guides together, these three along with They Tried To Stop Him, in one collection. It costs less than buying them one by one.
You can find all four guides, and the bundle, by clicking on the image below:
Alternatively, you may find them here: https://fatherthomasletters.com/products
Thank you for telling me what you needed. A leader who does not listen loses his people. I do not intend to lose you.
God bless you, friend. Twenty days. Choose the ones who listen.
With you in prayer always,
Father Thomas
This week I want you to do three things:
One. Read First Kings chapter 12 verses 1 through 16. Notice how simple the people’s request was. Notice how quickly everything fell apart when the king refused to listen.
Two. Look through the four new guides, using the image or link above. Choose the one your heart needs most right now, or take the bundle and keep them all.
Three. Reply to this letter and tell me one thing that is weighing on you as the midterms come closer. Many of the letters I write begin with what you tell me.
One last thing.
If this letter meant something to you, please forward it to two people you love. A friend from church. A brother or sister. Someone who feels as alone in these times as you sometimes do.
Many of you found these letters because someone shared them with you. Thank you for doing the same.
Was this letter forwarded to you? You can receive them yourself, free, here: https://fatherthomasletters.com/subscribe
P.S. If you want more from me, here is where to find it:
My guides: fatherthomasletters.com/products
Become a Friend of Father Thomas: https://fatherthomasletters.com/upgrade
Listen to my podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/18Mu4AUZc59x8EfTTJEaxR