The Daily Briefing highlights the news of the day and research that reveals the spirit of the day.
The Daily Briefing is a newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning that provides biblical insight on today's news.
Top News
6. Trump says 'we can't' do without Greenland as Vance tours territory amid US takeover controversy (ABC News)
“Vice President J.D. Vance doubled down on the Trump administration's interest in acquiring Greenland on Friday while visiting the United States' Pituffik Space Base as President Donald Trump argued the U.S. "can't" do without the island. Vance emphasized how Greenland is vital to U.S. national security while speaking to reporters Friday afternoon.
"Well, the president said we have to have Greenland. And I think that we do have to be more serious about the security of Greenland," he said. "We can't just ignore this place. We can't just ignore the president's desires." Trump has repeatedly suggested the U.S. should take over Greenland "one way or the another" for national security purposes and as he continues to emphasize Greenland's importance as China and Russia ramp up activity in the Arctic.”
Is JD Vance today’s James Polk? Similar to Vance, Polk was a lawyer who also served as vice president to a populist leader who had a strong base of support in the South (Andrew Jackson). However, one of the key similarities would be their desires for expansion: Vance with Greenland and Polk with Texas. When Polk assumed the office of the president, he confided with his secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft, about his desire to increase the size of the nation by acquiring Texas.
In his incredible book on Polk, A Country of Vast Designs, Robert Merry commented on this duo and Polk’s tremendous vision: “What was remarkable about them collectively, aside from the Jacksonian audacity they represented, was that Polk never went beyond Bancroft in discussing the daring goals he set for himself and his country. He was in many ways a smaller-than-life figure, but he harbored larger-than-life ambitions. This dual reality was to shape his presidency, bringing forth both his success and the high price he would pay for his success.”
There is nothing new under the sun… including the dreams of territorial expansion. From the prayer of Jabez to the courageous work of Joshua, these desires aren’t unique but not all acts of expansion are created equal. Zerubbabel set out to restore the land, and went through the proper protocols to secure the right. However, just because Ahab wanted the vineyard didn’t mean he was entitled to vineyard. There is nothing wrong with wanting more land, but there is something wrong with taking someone else’s land… (Ez. 1-2, Josh. 1, 1 Kings 21, 1 Chron. 4)
5. Rescuers search for survivors two days after quake kills more than 1,700 people in Myanmar and Thailand. (CNN)
“Rescuers are desperately searching for survivors more than two days after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, toppling buildings as far away as the Thai capital Bangkok and sending tremors through nearby Chinese provinces. At least 1,700 people are now confirmed dead in Myanmar after what was the largest earthquake to hit the war-ravaged country in more than a century, authorities say. Experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge.
“Widespread damage has been reported after the quake caused bridges and buildings to collapse, including in Bangkok, where authorities are trying to free dozens believed to be trapped under the rubble of an under-construction high-rise.
“The epicenter was recorded in Myanmar’s central Sagaing region, near the former royal capital Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people, as well as multiple historic temple complexes and palaces. Friday’s quake was the deadliest natural disaster to hit the country in years and comes as Myanmar reels from a civil war that since 2021 has damaged communication networks, battered health infrastructure and left millions without adequate food and shelter.”
They are digging with their bare hands… Multiple reports indicate that the country lacks the proper equipment to rescue so many who are buried. Others are reporting that there are no rescue workers in sight. One son, in a viral video, is depicted saying goodbye to his mom, who is buried underneath the rubble…
Have you heard of the golden period? This refers to the 1 to 3 day window after a natural disaster in which there is a greater likelihood to rescue victims who often lack food and water. The survival rate is 90 percent within 24 hours, 50 percent between 25 and 48 hours, and 20 percent between 49 and 72 hours.
The golden period may be coming to an end but God isn’t stopping his miraculous works. Join me this morning in praying for more to be rescued and all to be comforted amidst the loss. As Francis Chang put it: “When you pray, your prayers are heard by the same God who answered Moses’ prayers for water in the desert, the God who gave Abraham and his barren wife a son, and the God who made the slave Joseph second in power only to Pharaoh.” (1 Jn. 5:14-15)
4. Convicted of bilking investors, Nikola founder and Trump donor gets a presidential pardon (AP)
“Trevor Milton, the founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola who was sentenced to prison last year for fraud, was pardoned by President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed Friday. The pardon of Milton, who was sentenced to four years in prison for exaggerating the potential of his technology, could wipe out hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution that prosecutors were seeking for defrauded investors. Milton, 42, and his wife donated more than $1.8 million to a Trump re-election campaign fund less than a month before the November election, according to the Federal Election Commission.
“President Donald Trump commuted the criminal sentence of Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson on Friday, just hours before Watson was due to begin serving a 116-month prison term for a multi-million-dollar scheme that included falsely claiming the start-up had deals with Google and Oprah Winfrey, a senior White House official said. He published a statement that thanked the president and insulted the Trump-appointed federal judge who sentenced him, Eric Komitee, as “conflicted and unethical.”
Has the pardon power gone too far? This question will prompt some into default mode network. This refers to a brain circuit that has, throughout time, helped people to survive by aligning their interests with clan norms. We keep safe inside the lines of our group; we fearfully realize transgressing the bounds risks ostracism. In this instance, some will righly note why was this question not asked when Marc Rich, Roger Clinton, or the Biden family was pardoned…
In Federalist 74, Alexander Hamilton noted that the “the benign prerogative” of a pardon could be invoked in “seasons of insurrection or rebellion." He believed that "there are often critical moments, when a well timed offer of pardon to the insurgents or rebels may restore the tranquility of the commonwealth." Writing for National Review 4 years ago, Andy McCarthy argued: “The pardon power’s abuse is now more commonplace than its proper exercise, and there is no reason to believe that this will change.”
Beware of the sons of Samuel. Like Eli before him, Samuel appointed his sons to positions of power at the end of his life. However, instead of using their power for good, they took bribes, perverted justice, and accumulated wealth. This is sadly a recurring theme throughout the Bible, from Saul to David to Diotrephes. However, for every Simon Magus, there is a Boaz. For every Ahab, there is a Joseph. I don’t know if now is the time to take away the pardon power, but I do know it is always the right time to call out the power when it is misused. (1 Sam. 8, 19, 2 Sam. 11, 3 John, Acts 8, Ruth 4)
Cultural News
3. Even a $14,000 Government Handout Can’t Get South Korea’s Singles to Marry (WSJ)
“State-sponsored dating has become a phenomenon here. It has spread out across the country as its fertility rate slumps, falling to an average of 0.75 children per woman, about a third of the figure needed to keep the population level stable.
“City governments launched matchmaking services and other incentives to boost the world’s lowest birthrate. The national government has expanded parental leave and increased cash payouts to newlyweds. In South Korea, a socially conservative country, marriage is by and large the only route to having children. Fewer than 5% of births come outside of wedlock.
“A recent survey shows roughly three-fifths of working South Koreans think it’s OK not to marry. Many say they don’t feel the need, and rising living costs are big disincentives, as are the punishingly long work hours in South Korea’s office culture. Women face additional barriers in re-entering the workforce after childbirth.”
Under Pressure? Not so fast, Queen. There once was a day when family and friends might pressure a single person to get married. Today, two-thirds of single Americans report that they have felt no pressure from their family to get married. This may be due to the fact that over the last 50 years, the marriage rate in the US has dropped by nearly 60 percent.
The Backstreet Boys aren’t the only ones who Want It That Way -- the cohabitation way. Cohabitation has been normalized in our society, while the overall share of married individuals has trended downward -- from 55.9 percent in 1996 to 46.4 percent in 2023. Yet the share of cohabiting couples has increased from 3.7 percent in 1996 to 9.1 percent in 2023.
Bonnie Tyler is Holding Out For A Hero and single women are holding out for “economically attractive” men. A study out of Cornell University found that marriage is on the decline because there is a shortage of “economically attractive” men on the market. The study found that women desired men who had an average earning potential that was about 58 percent higher than the actual unmarried men currently on the market.
7 years seemed like nothing…. The relationship between Jacob and Rachel has always captivated my thinking. Rachel’s dad, Laban, asks Jacob to work for him for 7 years in order to have his daughter’s hand in marriage. And Jacob, out of a deep love for Rachel, worked to such an extent that the time “seemed as nothing to him.” This illuminates at least 2 components to the marriage relationship: it’s hard work and mysterious. And like any good mystery, the big idea draws you in and the adventure keeps you in. Marriage isn't easy, which causes some to forgo, but it’s wonderful, which causes many to say I do. (Eph. 5:21-33)
News You Can Use
2. 9-year-old starts pillow drive for homeless Pittsburgh residents
Watch it here. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40)
1. 27-year-old and 85-year-old neighbor have sweetest friendship
Watch it here. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Ecc. 4:9)
