America has spoken, and we have elected a new President. Am I worried? When I rely on my human understanding of the situation, and what this could mean for our country's policies and rules on a moral level, the answer is definitely yes. Especially when you consider that he has so much support from congress - I think there is a historic number of liberals in Washington, starting in January. Yikes! But, God says that He knows what is going on. Isaiah 55:8-9 says "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." He has a plan, and trust me, I really don't see how He's going to pull this one off, but it's ok. I don't need to. He doesn't need my help. I did what I needed to do yesterday at the polls, and He knows my heart. For reasons only God probably understands at this time we as Christians don't seem to have much leverage in government these days (Democrats probably think they understand, but I find it very unlikely that they know God's reason for their having taken overwhelming control in Washington).
So, what now? That is definitely the question of the hour. I have a few points, but I certainly don't have all the answers:
1. Pray. America has never needed it more. Pray that our leaders' attention stays on things temporal and doesn't drift into the moral. Let them spend all our money if that's what they have to do (it hurts to say that). I am praying that their left-wing moral issues and agenda don't infiltrate our nation and take over. Abortion as a means of birth control, redefining marriage, you get the idea.
2. Get ready. We are in the end times. We all know it. The prophesies have been fulfilled. Jesus is coming back someday - and I am not kidding when I say that after last night, it looks like sooner rather than later.
3. Respect your President. Didn't vote for him/don't like him? Doesn't matter. He's your leader, whether you like it or not. And God demands that you give your respect to him. What does this mean when you disagree with what he's doing as leader? You may operate your voice in government as much as you are legally allowed, when done in respect. Call your representative. Write letters. Support good causes. You may not: talk bad or disrespectfully about President Obama. Attack him, or his family, on a personal level. The lines are blurry here. When necessary: attack the policies, not the people. Just remember: America voted, but ultimately God placed this man in the position of authority in our country. You have an amazing opportunity to be a witness to those around you when you deal God's way with (good, bad, other) authority in your life.
2 Timothy 2:13-17 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
There is a lot more here than meets the eye if you are reading the passage for the first time, but no matter what you can get the general idea that God demands respect from us for our earthly leaders.
4. Respect God more. We are to respect our human authority, but always over that is our respect for God. If our government tells us to do (or allows us to do) something that is in contrast to the Word of God, we are to obey God. There are more ways that this could be manifested than any of us can ever imagine. Be ready to take action. And know God's Word well enough that you have discernment when the time comes.
5. Be thankful. This is monumental in America's history. I personally am thrilled that he got elected for one reason: he's black. Let me explain. I didn't vote for him, and I would never let someone's skin color influence my vote. But, now that he's in office (or will be in a few months), I am thankful that America has risen above its racist roots. Even in southern states, which is a little more surprising based on history, Obama got a decent share of the vote. That is big news, and it is important. I believe God is color-blind (remember the song "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight?") and we are sending a powerful message to the rest of the world, and to those who are still racist in our own country, that we have moved past that. We are better than that. I am thankful. There is much, MUCH more to be thankful for than just the issue of race. When I try, I can think of lots of things. That's just the only one I'm going to talk about here.
What do you think? Have anything to add? This certainly isn't exhaustive, but it's a start. I value your opinion.
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Vote!
Tomorrow is election day - if you don't know that then you've been living under a rock for a while now. And, you've heard people telling you to take advantage of your voice in this country. Here it comes from me:
Many, MANY people have sacrificed and given of their time, energy, talents and even lives that we all might live in a country that is free, and where we the people get to elect those who govern us. You owe it to all of them to use this gift they fought so hard for.
It is your responsibility - this is your country. Don't like the way it's going? I certainly don't. If you don't vote, you have no right to offer your opinion about this country's direction, ideals, etc.
We all know we should vote, but how do we choose who to vote for? I will not tell you who to vote for, but can I please ask, especially if you call yourself a Christian, to vote according to your faith, and not the reasons society and the news media would give you to try to scare you with. Yes, our economy is tanking. Yes, our country is in a mess. Yes, we're all falling on bad times. (An issue for another day, and one I probably won't ever cover here, is whether the news media is hyping all of that up for their own political agenda...).
Life in America has probably seen better days. I whole-heartedly believe, however, that the reason for that is that we as a country are turning our backs on God. We have kicked God out of nearly every aspect of our country - we are all (and by all, I certainly don't mean those of us who are fighting and praying against it, but rather, just the general trend of our country) doing all we can to make sure God is out of our country and our lives. We forget that the very premise and ideals this country was born on were those of Christian heritage and values. Our country was thriving and successful for many years - we're all still reaping the benefits of the success of our ancestors. But has God had enough of being kicked to the curb and forgotten? I should think so. He's not allowed in our schools, our government, and if some would have their way, he'd be off our money and out of our Pledge of Allegiance. Some would probably like Him to be kicked out of our churches. Welcome to China everyone.
So when you vote, consider this: How do you stand on abortion? What do you want to see happen with this country's definition of one man, one woman marriage? How would it make you feel to see illegal immigrants granted amnesty, or, how do you feel about children of illegals getting automatic citizenship just for being born here? How do you like the idea of paying more taxes so more people can sit at home on their hineys while you pay for their dinner (rent, gas, clothing, medical expenses, .....)? These are all, some much more important and grave than others, but they are all issues of how one values and respects human life. And they are all fundamentally Christian issues.
May I encourage you as a Christian: please vote your values this election. Our economy is bad, but that's just money. There are lives and families on the line here. And also, pray that this country might return to its Christian foundation and ideals. I know that one of the candidates catch phrases is "Change" - and I'm sure that's hardly the change he has in mind for our country. But I maintain that turning our country back into a Christian nation is the only change that's even worth fighting for and talking about.
And no matter what happens at the polls tomorrow, get ready to get on your knees and pray. No matter the political outcome, our country and our people need prayer more today than ever before. Pray for our Commander-in-Chief, no matter who he is or if you voted for him or not. Pray for our congress. Pray for those who write our laws. Pray for our local government. Pray for Bible-believing Christians representing us in our government. Pray for our Christian leaders. Pray for God's sovereign hand in the inner workings of every aspect of our government. We may not feel we have much of a voice in our country these days, but praise God, words directed toward Him are never wasted.
Many, MANY people have sacrificed and given of their time, energy, talents and even lives that we all might live in a country that is free, and where we the people get to elect those who govern us. You owe it to all of them to use this gift they fought so hard for.
It is your responsibility - this is your country. Don't like the way it's going? I certainly don't. If you don't vote, you have no right to offer your opinion about this country's direction, ideals, etc.
We all know we should vote, but how do we choose who to vote for? I will not tell you who to vote for, but can I please ask, especially if you call yourself a Christian, to vote according to your faith, and not the reasons society and the news media would give you to try to scare you with. Yes, our economy is tanking. Yes, our country is in a mess. Yes, we're all falling on bad times. (An issue for another day, and one I probably won't ever cover here, is whether the news media is hyping all of that up for their own political agenda...).
Life in America has probably seen better days. I whole-heartedly believe, however, that the reason for that is that we as a country are turning our backs on God. We have kicked God out of nearly every aspect of our country - we are all (and by all, I certainly don't mean those of us who are fighting and praying against it, but rather, just the general trend of our country) doing all we can to make sure God is out of our country and our lives. We forget that the very premise and ideals this country was born on were those of Christian heritage and values. Our country was thriving and successful for many years - we're all still reaping the benefits of the success of our ancestors. But has God had enough of being kicked to the curb and forgotten? I should think so. He's not allowed in our schools, our government, and if some would have their way, he'd be off our money and out of our Pledge of Allegiance. Some would probably like Him to be kicked out of our churches. Welcome to China everyone.
So when you vote, consider this: How do you stand on abortion? What do you want to see happen with this country's definition of one man, one woman marriage? How would it make you feel to see illegal immigrants granted amnesty, or, how do you feel about children of illegals getting automatic citizenship just for being born here? How do you like the idea of paying more taxes so more people can sit at home on their hineys while you pay for their dinner (rent, gas, clothing, medical expenses, .....)? These are all, some much more important and grave than others, but they are all issues of how one values and respects human life. And they are all fundamentally Christian issues.
May I encourage you as a Christian: please vote your values this election. Our economy is bad, but that's just money. There are lives and families on the line here. And also, pray that this country might return to its Christian foundation and ideals. I know that one of the candidates catch phrases is "Change" - and I'm sure that's hardly the change he has in mind for our country. But I maintain that turning our country back into a Christian nation is the only change that's even worth fighting for and talking about.
And no matter what happens at the polls tomorrow, get ready to get on your knees and pray. No matter the political outcome, our country and our people need prayer more today than ever before. Pray for our Commander-in-Chief, no matter who he is or if you voted for him or not. Pray for our congress. Pray for those who write our laws. Pray for our local government. Pray for Bible-believing Christians representing us in our government. Pray for our Christian leaders. Pray for God's sovereign hand in the inner workings of every aspect of our government. We may not feel we have much of a voice in our country these days, but praise God, words directed toward Him are never wasted.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What Were You Doing?
As we all have remembered at least once today by this time, today marks the 7-year anniversary of the horrific Sept. 11 attacks on America's east coast. Of course there will be news coverage, so we have some help in remembering to remember the events of that day.
The morning of the attacks I had class at 8:05 - Interpretation of Literature. Of course 8:05 Iowa time is 9:05 EST, so by the time class started some already knew about it. I didn't - the first attack would have probably taken place when I was walking to class. There was some talk of a plane crash that morning in class - that it had happened in NYC, and a plane ran into a building...but by then I don't remember there being talk of terrorist activity. My next class was Ultimate Frisbee (yeah, for real). By the time we got to that class, there was a little more information, but I don't think any of us yet knew how big that day was going to get (it was still only mid-morning). After that class I walked back to my off-campus apartment, and because of all the chatter of this plane crash, I clicked on the TV and witnessed for the first time with my own eyes the sadness and depravity unfolding in my living room. By noon-ish time in Iowa things were very chaotic on the east coast, and there were TV crews everywhere documenting what was going on. You remember the scene: people bloody and covered in white dust running down the streets confused and crying, people as small as dust particles jumping out of windows from the burning towers, make-shift hospitals set up in the streets, papers and dust everywhere in downtown NYC. I think they replayed the planes crashing into the sides of the buildings and the towers crashing down about a million times (as if once wouldn't have been enough to burn the image into anyone's brain). I stood there all alone in my apartment's living room and cried.
That afternoon we had Marching Band practice at 3:30. When I got there everyone was pretty solemn and some of the girls were crying. They sent us all home and told us to go call our parents, just to say hi.
My brother-in-law worked in NYC at the time, though I didn't know him yet. He was several blocks away from the attacks, but he did get stranded in the city for the night. I don't even know that Narasimha was able to get ahold of him for several hours to find out that he was ok.
7 years have passed, and I still feel very sad when I think about that day. With the exception of my brother-in-law, I don't even personally know anyone who was involved in the events of the day. When we visited NYC a few years ago I saw the old site of the WTC, and to me, it just looked like a big hole in the ground. I can tear up even thinking about the many that were devastatingly personally affected by all that happened that dreadful day.
This is not intended to be any sort of a political post, but here are some things to think about: How do the events of that day, and things that have transpired in our nation since then, affect our upcoming presidential election? What can you personally take responsibility for to make sure attacks like that don't happen in our country again? Do you remember to pray for those who lost and suffered as a result of the attacks? If you are a Christian, how are you showing your Jesus to the world around you?
What are your memories of the day? Do you have any questions to add to the few I put in the previous paragraph?
The morning of the attacks I had class at 8:05 - Interpretation of Literature. Of course 8:05 Iowa time is 9:05 EST, so by the time class started some already knew about it. I didn't - the first attack would have probably taken place when I was walking to class. There was some talk of a plane crash that morning in class - that it had happened in NYC, and a plane ran into a building...but by then I don't remember there being talk of terrorist activity. My next class was Ultimate Frisbee (yeah, for real). By the time we got to that class, there was a little more information, but I don't think any of us yet knew how big that day was going to get (it was still only mid-morning). After that class I walked back to my off-campus apartment, and because of all the chatter of this plane crash, I clicked on the TV and witnessed for the first time with my own eyes the sadness and depravity unfolding in my living room. By noon-ish time in Iowa things were very chaotic on the east coast, and there were TV crews everywhere documenting what was going on. You remember the scene: people bloody and covered in white dust running down the streets confused and crying, people as small as dust particles jumping out of windows from the burning towers, make-shift hospitals set up in the streets, papers and dust everywhere in downtown NYC. I think they replayed the planes crashing into the sides of the buildings and the towers crashing down about a million times (as if once wouldn't have been enough to burn the image into anyone's brain). I stood there all alone in my apartment's living room and cried.
That afternoon we had Marching Band practice at 3:30. When I got there everyone was pretty solemn and some of the girls were crying. They sent us all home and told us to go call our parents, just to say hi.
My brother-in-law worked in NYC at the time, though I didn't know him yet. He was several blocks away from the attacks, but he did get stranded in the city for the night. I don't even know that Narasimha was able to get ahold of him for several hours to find out that he was ok.
7 years have passed, and I still feel very sad when I think about that day. With the exception of my brother-in-law, I don't even personally know anyone who was involved in the events of the day. When we visited NYC a few years ago I saw the old site of the WTC, and to me, it just looked like a big hole in the ground. I can tear up even thinking about the many that were devastatingly personally affected by all that happened that dreadful day.
This is not intended to be any sort of a political post, but here are some things to think about: How do the events of that day, and things that have transpired in our nation since then, affect our upcoming presidential election? What can you personally take responsibility for to make sure attacks like that don't happen in our country again? Do you remember to pray for those who lost and suffered as a result of the attacks? If you are a Christian, how are you showing your Jesus to the world around you?
What are your memories of the day? Do you have any questions to add to the few I put in the previous paragraph?
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