Friday, November 7, 2008

The People Have Spoken... Now What?

America has a new President. Barack Obama. Whether you like him, trust him, believe in his agenda or not, he will be the new President come Jan. 20th 2009. As a Follower of Christ, we understand that our responsibility is to give him the respect and honor he deserves as President. This includes praying for him and his family. The Bible reminds us to obey and pray for those He has put into positions of leadership. Sen. Obama faces challenges that this country has not seen in decades. Without the support of the people, his administration and the grace of God, these challenges can be potentially disastrous for our Nation. As Christians, we must be dedicated in prayer that God will give wisdom, protection and diligence to this new administration.

The results of this election were not a mistake nor were they against the will of God. He knew the outcome and allowed Obama to win. As such, we must respond as Christians recognizing the challenges he and our nation faces. Failing to acknowledge our roles as representatives of Christ will bring disrepute not only on ourselves but also the Gospel.

The people have spoken. Free-will was exercised. Choices were made and as a result, a new era in this Nation has begun. Not only has this election crossed the race-barrier and given hope to people of all color that we are equal but, it has also reiterated that this is still a democracy. Freedom still reigns.

The Bible is filled with examples of God not interfering with mankind's decisions or free-will. In many cases, He gave the people exactly what they wanted even to the point of letting them worship other gods. The Israelites went through one 'life-lesson' after another as God let them have their way. When they asked Samuel for a king, (
1 Samuel 8: 7-22) God gave them one despite the outcome. They wanted to "be like all the other nations". Sound familiar?

There is no doubt that America is in for a change. On the left, the people have put their hope & trust in the person they believe will bring a change for the better. On the right, the people were reluctant to embrace this 'change'; They stood for something more than economics and social issues. Regardless of where we stand, we can expect there will be frustrations and disappointments in the days to come. Our behavior and attitude as Christians must remain consistent with the Word and not based on circumstances or feelings. Our trust and hope must remain in Jesus Christ. It is God who raises leaders, creates nations and it is He who also brings them to an end in His timing. Now more than ever, our prayer life must be moved to a higher level. How fervent we pray is not nearly as important as what we are praying for. Yes, we will have a more liberal President. Yes, our nation and world is facing a major economic crisis. However, the more critical issue that demands our obedience to prayer is much bigger.

The people have spoken. They've chosen a President based on what they felt was most important to them. The economy. World peace. Shared wealth. Affordable health care. A green planet. Issues that affect every one of us. Issues that affect our quality of life. What this election revealed is that most people are more concerned about these issues than they are life itself. The life of the unborn. They chose a President who supports abortion. One who supports the homosexual lifestyle to the point of having it accepted as normal behavior, degrading the God-designed marriage of one man, one woman. He will pave the way for this detestable lifestyle to not only be normalized but also protected and taught to our children in school.

Essentially, the people made it quite clear that morality and Christian values are no longer as important as they once were. From a purely 'worldly-perspective', that might be understandable in today's economic uncertainty. However, history has shown us time and time again that when a nation turns from God, they eventually cease to be a nation. We cannot and must not give in, give up or have a defeatist attitude. Now more than ever, we need to stand for what is right and defend the essential principles that define Christianity. God's word does not allow for compromise; nor should we. We must be willing to work with the President without compromising our Christian principles. However, we must also be prepared to confront and oppose those issues that defy or reject the the character and fundamental doctrine of God.

May our prayers be that God will change the heart of not only the President and his administration, but also those of the people who have turned to the world for their hope.


Jesus Christ remains our hope. The Gospel remains as our mission to the world. The Church needs a wake up call to get back to preaching the Word instead of trying to market God to the 'seeker'. No doubt, this country... this world needs change for the better. That change is found only in Jesus Christ.


~ktf~
John

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