Four.
*Disclaimer: It is not my desire to offend anyone, if I do, please accept my sincerest apologies. But please, please, consider what I have to say.
Before I get bombarded by many other opinions and views on the topic of today's election results I want to make sure that I get out my own. This means that I'm stopping school and trying to think and write as fast as I can because I'm really busy today. But I need to say these things.
Yesterday I was praying fervently for our country. I'd been praying for maybe a week. And I realize that though it was important for me to be praying, why have I not been praying at any other time?
And why is it that we're so scared about election day?
Yes, we are choosing a leader (a person followed by others) that determines a good many things for our well-being and safety, but who is it that ultimately determines are well-being, our very life?
That's right. God does.
This does not mean that we shouldn't take election day seriously; I am grieved when people don't. We are so blessed to be able to have a voice, even if it's not the overriding voice, at least it's allowed. Consider the Chinese. Goodness, and so many other nations that don't let you choose. Yeah, just because we can choose doesn't mean we'll get the one that we want, but at least we aren't persecuted or imprisoned because we want to choose.
Yesterday I learned a few things:
1. I need to be praying for my country, just as fervently, whether or not it's election day. I need to pray for the president--even though it seems like presidents somehow our too important to receive prayers. They really aren't. And we are supposed to love our enemies and pray for the unkind.
Honestly, because of his stances on abortion and treatment of those in Benghazi, I might consider Obama an enemy and unkind. Ah, but this does not mean that I will not respect him. God, "removes kings and sets up kings" (Daniel 2:21) and I firmly believe in the sovereignty of God and that His will will and is being done. And we are called to respect our leaders. So I will. And I will pray for our leaders.
2. The president, though important, is not who we should put our full trust in. What happens when we place all of our trust in man? You'd think that as Christians we would know this...obviously we cannot think that one man can save and one man can destroy (though it might be true) we have a GOD who saves and destroys and protects His people. I will respect my leaders, but my trust will always be in God.
This is perhaps why, as election day panned out, I began to realize that I shouldn't be fearful. Why should I? Me of all people!? Unlike the unbeliever, I have a hope, I have a foundation and a GOD who has chosen me to be His child. He loves me enough to die for me, and He did--so why should I fear?
Which brings me to number...
3. I need not be fearful. Think about 1st and 2nd Kings, and all those lists and lists of kings, where it basically condenses their reigns like so: "King so-and-so was the son of so-and-so and feared God." Or, "King so-and-so was the son of so-and-so and did not remove the high places and did wrong in the eyes of God." That's what it comes down to.
The Bible has a "fear not" for every day of the year, (365 times it is mentioned) and I think that that is proof enough that God does NOT want us to fear. Fear is a tool of the Enemy. Fear can be equivalent to unbelief. I'm not saying that the chosen president is going to lead us wonderfully, or that he is going to lead us horribly, all I'm saying is that in the end (Heaven) it will all seem like nothing to us.
Really, when I think about it--what is it to us? We're going to Heaven where the King is eternal, just, merciful, and loving; a short while here with sinful rulers shouldn't be that bad.
However, I must mention something. I'm not going to be all "laissez faire" and not do anything about the issues that are the biggest reason for any concern on my part when it comes to the reelected president.
And that is abortion.
4. With respect, we need to stand up for the issues that are important to the future. When it comes down to it, neither of the presidential candidates where Christians (from my knowledge) and for me (not that I was voting), the most important thing to me was who is going to uphold the value of life.
Yes, immigration and taxes and financial security are all very important issues! But think about it...are any of these issues important without people? Do we even need a president without people? Abortion is wiping out generations: mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, teachers, bakers, people that smile, girls that fall in love, guys that smile nonstop at their weddings, friends, people that come up with new ice cream flavors, people that change the world--thrown away...in a trash can. Killed.
Because our president has been reelected, I am going to just have to be okay with his decisions on whatever areas of econemy, healthcare and so on. But I will not NOT make a stand for those that will never walk, never crawl--never stand for themselves. I will pray, I will hopefully be able to show people that life is indeed important (which almost seems stupid, you know, that I would need to convince someone that life's kind of a big deal...when indeed, they are living it themselves?). And I will do all that I can...whatever it is, to help. Right now I really just hope that our taxes don't pay abortion clinics.
And one last thing. As I was praying yesterday I thought about the verse, "lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
We can't lean on our own understanding about this election and what the future holds. But we must make sure that we acknowledge God in all that we do--then, and only then, will our paths be straight.
When I was told that Obama had been reelected for four more years, I did not panic, rather I look forward to four years of trusting God with all that we are. Hopefully we will be able to see Christians rise up and stand for life. This, right now, is our opportunity to be followers of Christ. We can't rely on the president to fix everything, we've got to do what we can ourselves. Though I'm pretty sure that a lot of you might consider going to the voting polls "the best you can do" it's not. Think about that, there is more that we can do.
And it starts today.
Pray for the unborn, volunteer, donate, look into organizations that might be supporting abortion clinics and stop supporting them.
Do what you can, and all to the glory of God.
Please note, I would love to write more and be more specific, but I must scurry now and do my Chemistry!
Before I get bombarded by many other opinions and views on the topic of today's election results I want to make sure that I get out my own. This means that I'm stopping school and trying to think and write as fast as I can because I'm really busy today. But I need to say these things.
Yesterday I was praying fervently for our country. I'd been praying for maybe a week. And I realize that though it was important for me to be praying, why have I not been praying at any other time?
And why is it that we're so scared about election day?
Yes, we are choosing a leader (a person followed by others) that determines a good many things for our well-being and safety, but who is it that ultimately determines are well-being, our very life?
That's right. God does.
This does not mean that we shouldn't take election day seriously; I am grieved when people don't. We are so blessed to be able to have a voice, even if it's not the overriding voice, at least it's allowed. Consider the Chinese. Goodness, and so many other nations that don't let you choose. Yeah, just because we can choose doesn't mean we'll get the one that we want, but at least we aren't persecuted or imprisoned because we want to choose.
Yesterday I learned a few things:
1. I need to be praying for my country, just as fervently, whether or not it's election day. I need to pray for the president--even though it seems like presidents somehow our too important to receive prayers. They really aren't. And we are supposed to love our enemies and pray for the unkind.
Honestly, because of his stances on abortion and treatment of those in Benghazi, I might consider Obama an enemy and unkind. Ah, but this does not mean that I will not respect him. God, "removes kings and sets up kings" (Daniel 2:21) and I firmly believe in the sovereignty of God and that His will will and is being done. And we are called to respect our leaders. So I will. And I will pray for our leaders.
2. The president, though important, is not who we should put our full trust in. What happens when we place all of our trust in man? You'd think that as Christians we would know this...obviously we cannot think that one man can save and one man can destroy (though it might be true) we have a GOD who saves and destroys and protects His people. I will respect my leaders, but my trust will always be in God.
This is perhaps why, as election day panned out, I began to realize that I shouldn't be fearful. Why should I? Me of all people!? Unlike the unbeliever, I have a hope, I have a foundation and a GOD who has chosen me to be His child. He loves me enough to die for me, and He did--so why should I fear?
Which brings me to number...
3. I need not be fearful. Think about 1st and 2nd Kings, and all those lists and lists of kings, where it basically condenses their reigns like so: "King so-and-so was the son of so-and-so and feared God." Or, "King so-and-so was the son of so-and-so and did not remove the high places and did wrong in the eyes of God." That's what it comes down to.
The Bible has a "fear not" for every day of the year, (365 times it is mentioned) and I think that that is proof enough that God does NOT want us to fear. Fear is a tool of the Enemy. Fear can be equivalent to unbelief. I'm not saying that the chosen president is going to lead us wonderfully, or that he is going to lead us horribly, all I'm saying is that in the end (Heaven) it will all seem like nothing to us.
Really, when I think about it--what is it to us? We're going to Heaven where the King is eternal, just, merciful, and loving; a short while here with sinful rulers shouldn't be that bad.
However, I must mention something. I'm not going to be all "laissez faire" and not do anything about the issues that are the biggest reason for any concern on my part when it comes to the reelected president.
And that is abortion.
4. With respect, we need to stand up for the issues that are important to the future. When it comes down to it, neither of the presidential candidates where Christians (from my knowledge) and for me (not that I was voting), the most important thing to me was who is going to uphold the value of life.
Yes, immigration and taxes and financial security are all very important issues! But think about it...are any of these issues important without people? Do we even need a president without people? Abortion is wiping out generations: mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, teachers, bakers, people that smile, girls that fall in love, guys that smile nonstop at their weddings, friends, people that come up with new ice cream flavors, people that change the world--thrown away...in a trash can. Killed.
Because our president has been reelected, I am going to just have to be okay with his decisions on whatever areas of econemy, healthcare and so on. But I will not NOT make a stand for those that will never walk, never crawl--never stand for themselves. I will pray, I will hopefully be able to show people that life is indeed important (which almost seems stupid, you know, that I would need to convince someone that life's kind of a big deal...when indeed, they are living it themselves?). And I will do all that I can...whatever it is, to help. Right now I really just hope that our taxes don't pay abortion clinics.
And one last thing. As I was praying yesterday I thought about the verse, "lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
We can't lean on our own understanding about this election and what the future holds. But we must make sure that we acknowledge God in all that we do--then, and only then, will our paths be straight.
When I was told that Obama had been reelected for four more years, I did not panic, rather I look forward to four years of trusting God with all that we are. Hopefully we will be able to see Christians rise up and stand for life. This, right now, is our opportunity to be followers of Christ. We can't rely on the president to fix everything, we've got to do what we can ourselves. Though I'm pretty sure that a lot of you might consider going to the voting polls "the best you can do" it's not. Think about that, there is more that we can do.
And it starts today.
Pray for the unborn, volunteer, donate, look into organizations that might be supporting abortion clinics and stop supporting them.
Do what you can, and all to the glory of God.
Please note, I would love to write more and be more specific, but I must scurry now and do my Chemistry!
Maryah, you're very wise. Thank you for the great thoughts. I was showing a buddy of mine just yesterday Romans 13:1-7, which leads me to say confidently that Obama is President because God appointed him President.
ReplyDeleteOn one final note, Kevin DeYoung wrote this prayer for the President-to-be even before the results were counted. I found it quite helpful: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/11/07/a-prayer-for-our-president/
God bless.
Thank you Jon. Yes, that scripture is exactly what I had in mind as I was writing that! It was also a very reassuring scripture to go to because it reiterates again how God is in control of everything and appoints our leaders.
ReplyDeleteThat was a very good prayer. Honestly, it seems like an impossibility--but we serve a God who does the impossible, and I will continue to lift my voice in prayer for those things.
Thank you!