Disappointment...and a glimmer of hope

So this evening I get home from work to see the very disappointing results of the election. I fear that the church helped to give this election to the liberals by listening to the media and by not taking a stand for what the Bible says is right and wrong. I fear the nation has been deceived in the worst way possible, and that it started with the church. I fear that we may be facing the judgement of God by giving control of the nation decidedly to the left wing liberal democrats who we seem to have forgotten were instrumental in pushing God out of school, allowing abortions to continue, condoning homosexuality, building a welfare state...this list could go on.

I was sitting with Nathan and since he is homeschooling, I decided that this would be a good point to teach him a little more about government and how our nation works. I asked him if he knew what had happened tonight? He told me no. So I asked him if he remembered going and helping me vote about a week ago...of course he did. So I asked him if he knew who we voted for, and he replied John McCain...because he is a man who loves God. I told him that yes we voted for McCain, because his views were closer to what we believe. (I do not know if John McCain loves God or not, but I am glad that Nathan thinks that is the most important criteria for voting.) I explained that tonight, all the people who wanted to vote, and who did not do it early, went and voted. I also explained that John McCain did not win. I asked him if he knew who else was running for president and he thought for a moment and said "Barak Obama". I told him that Barak Obama was elected as president and that John McCain lost. I told him that I was a little upset about this because we really wanted John McCain to win. So, he says, "Yeah, I'm kinda sad too." So, rather than delve into all the political issues, I told him that we don't believe the same way that Barak Obama does about some things. So I tell him, "Do you know what the Bible says though?" He of course says, "What?" "The Bible says that even though we do not believe the same way about things that Obama does, we are to pray for him to follow God, and to be wise and a good leader." So Nathan says, "Ohhh." We talk a little more about how elections work and that in January Obama will take over as president from President Bush. That right now he is President-elect Obama. So he runs and gets Duck for President for me to read to him. In the midst of all this of course I am watching the media coverage of the election.

I am silently seething that the media is such a liberal entity that they WERE NOT going to let a republican be elected again. I see faces the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Jesse Jackson, and others that I am angry about seeing, knowing that they swayed the vote, just like the rest of the media. I am sitting also seeing the democrats take over a good majority in both houses of congress, and I am sitting there thinking to myself, "What the HE** is wrong with these people that they would actually vote these people into office. They are going to destroy this nation. We only thought it was bad before..." You get the general idea. I'm a little ticked off, and more than a little concerned. While I'm thinking all these things, and seeing total fools partying in the streets thinking that they've done something great, when most of them probably didn't even vote, but the people elected are going to work to make it easier for them to do nothing and get paid for it, or to openly sin and it be "legal"... Barak Obama comes out on stage to proclaim victory. I put down the book I was reading to Nathan and tell him that I want to hear Obama's speech. So he sits quietly, until Obama actually gets to the podium to speak.

Now enter my humbling glimmer of hope...

Nathan looks up at me in all of his 5 year old glory and says, "Daddy, let's pray for him right now." (My seething abates momentarily) "Okay" I said, "You can pray for him." So my precious son that I want to protect from the evil, vile democrats bows his head and prays for this man who I have just been thinking is going to ruin our nation with his evil band of supervillian liberals. "Dear Jesus, Please help Barak Obama to listen and follow You. Thank You Jesus, Amen."

I sit rocking him dumbfounded. I kiss him goodnight and tell him to go on to bed and sit in the chair...dumbfounded...on the verge of tears. My little boy retaught me the lesson I just had taught him not 10 minutes before.

Point of the story is, the Bible says to pray for our leaders that they are set in authority by God. Does that mean "God" elected Barak Obama? Yes...and no...It does mean that we as believers are called to pray for him, and all the leaders of our nation...not just the republicans. Do I think everything is okay in our country? No, things are very bad. Do I think that the people put into office tonight are going to turn this nation to God again? I'd not lay stakes on it. But I do think...no, I know, that as a child of God, my job is to pray for my nation and leaders elected tonight. I need to pray for their wisdom, their guidance, their hearts, their vision for the country, etc. I need to pray that God save our nation and spare us from judgement. I need to pray that He raise His people up to stand and say that there is a right and there is a wrong. Did the church follow God's voice in this election? My mind wants to scream, "NO! If they had we'd have McCain in office" My heart says that it's not the issue. God is still in control...guess what? He still holds the universe in the palm of His hand. He is still sovereign, and omnipotent, and can still do anything. We are to be obedient...so church...pray. It is a time to do so as never before, it has become more vitally important to do so than ever before, not because we've elected the democrats to power (strangely enough turns out democrats are allowed to follow God too...how they reconcile some of the party's platforms to following God...but I digress), it is important because of the times in which we live. Sin is allowed to run rampant in our country and world. We are actually voting in parts of this country to "decriminalize" prostitution? I fear all kinds of things in the future, taxes, war, terrorists, further inroads to becoming a socialist nation, more religious freedoms removed, more persecution of Christians, more killing of children, more condoning sin and sinful lifestyles...I could go on for a while, but those same things were going on even with the republicans in power. Sin is sin regardless of who is in power. So pray church, pray people of God, for our leaders and our nation and our hearts. Short aside inserted here: There have been two social heralds to the fall of every great nation throughout history. Throughout history in every great nation that has fallen there are two social issues accepted by that society which prelude it's fall. Anyone hazard a guess what they are? 1. Acceptance of homosexuality 2. Killing of children. So pray people of God, as we have never prayed before, that we may remember our first love and return to God alone as our light and salvation.

My glimmer of hope is:
If my 5 year old son can pray for the man elected knowing that he was not who we wanted or who we agree with, maybe there is hope for this nation yet. If he is one of the upcoming generation, and can lead me to tears and asking God to break my heart and make it more like His, then maybe...just maybe...a child's sincere prayer can help lead us all.

"Dear Jesus, Please help our nation, our leaders, and all of us to listen and follow You. Thank You Jesus, Amen."