Just so you are fairly warned, today's blog doesn't have any pictures and probably won't have any funny stories. Today will be a bit of an editorial, my thoughts on the upcoming election. So, if that kind of stuff bores you or tends to make you really angry then I would suggest that you wait for a week or so to check out the blog. By then, I'm sure that the reading will be easier.
We are experiencing this election cycle uniquely (at least for us). Being in another country puts a much different spin on U.S. politics. In some ways, it is enjoyable - we are not bombarded with the plethora of media streams trying to sway our opinions. Using our absentee ballot, we were able to vote early and have it done with weeks before the election. It is amazing (and a bit shameful) that we are able to speak with people from a dozen different countries who know our political system sometimes better than we do ourselves. They are often interested and very passionate about what happens in the U.S. presidential election. How many Americans do you think actually realize that Canada had an election last month - and could you name the Prime Minister and from what party he comes? Believe me, Germans, Swiss, Poles, French, Canadians (and French Canadians) all know what is happening in the U.S. election in detail.
Those of us who name ourselves Christian are called to pray for our leaders. Leaders in our faith communities as well as our locally and nationally elected leaders. I hope that we are all praying for this election. Praying for personal wisdom to cast our vote for the best candidate for our country; praying for a just and fair election where everyone who is entitled to cast a vote can and those who might be tryng to abuse the system cannot; praying for corporate wisdom for our elected office-holders to make the right decisions for our country. To be frank, I find it is much easier to pray for my pastor than I do for my president. I hope to change that. This morning, after our morning worship service, the vicar invited people to gather around to pray for the upcoming U.S. election. Of the dozen or so people who came together in prayer, only 2 or 3 were actually Americans and not a single person prayed for any specific candidate but rather that God would direct, protect and provide wisdom. Wow.
I have received several emails - you know the kind, forwards of forwards of forwards from goodness knows whom. They are often from well intentioned folks. But I must state that sometimes the content of the emails is a bit frightening to me - which is exactly the point of the email. But they are also troubling in the amount of untruth they carry. And it does not matter from which side of the political spectrum they arrive. Are we to be frightened into voting against someone rather than voting for someone? I don't believe that the God we follow would have us living in fear, but rather in victory - regardless of who becomes our next president.
The purpose of this blog entry is to challenge you. Will you join me in saying that you will pray for our next president regardless of who wins on Tuesday? When the Apostle Paul admonished Christians to pray (and give thanks) for their leaders, those leaders were often the hated oppressors from Rome. How hard could that be? Next to a wisdom-filled vote for the candidate of your choice, I think that a committment to pray faithfully for whoever is our next president is God honoring and worthy of our efforts as Christ-followers.
Okay, that's it. Our God is bigger than any single election. We should start acting like it is true.
Soli Deo Gloria
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4 comments:
Well said Michael, and thank you.
Love Delissa
Michael, you are completely right, it felt so good for me AFTER I had dropped my ballot in the box and know I had did my duty. Whether my party wins or loses, I have been a part of the great American system. And, its true I don't have the slightest idea of who is president of the other countries. Once I knew Germany's president, but think its changed, but my memory didn't. Sign of old age?
Two of my grandson's wanted to know if I had voted, and I told them yes, and of course they wanted to know who. I eventually told them, and also told them WHY. Its not always easy to pick the right man, especially when you feel that neither one is the right one for our country.
The question is, how do we get the right man to this point in our country? I've felt good over the last 12 to 15 years on who I have voted for, but this year has been different. Think the best man lost out in the primaries.
Pray without ceasing, think that is the answer for our country and world.
Love you guys
Howard & Donna too
Just trying to reflect a little on the millions of dollars that have been spent in the last couple of years convincing the American voter for this election and weighing that against what Paul writes in Romans 13:1 ... Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God's appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
Interesting ....
I agree with this -- and remember when I've been overseas during elections.
But please, don't stop praying for your pastor! We don't wield nuclear or even much economic power, but the forces arrayed against have plenty of authority.
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