election afterthoughts
Wow, was there a lot of political chatter today. Facebook is really changing things. I want to go on record and say that I am not discouraged by Obama winning the election. I think it’s foolish to not understand that the whole thing is in God’s control. I’ve seen so many disillusioned McCain supporters, and I’ve heard too many jabs back and forth between Christians. Don’t forget:
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? [1 John 4:20]
Our responsibility as Christians has not changed, and as far as I remember the world has been in desperate need of the hope that we have since long before there even was such thing as a president.
Now I voted for McCain after much careful consideration, and I was led by the Spirit to do so. But I know many fellow believers, who I’m as sure of their relationship with God as I am the natural law of gravity, that voted for president-elect Obama. But how is that possible? How could God lead two people of faith to a different decision? All I can say is His ways are unsearchable. In fact, I fairly regularly don’t understand the things the Holy Spirit asks me to do. God doesn’t always seem interested in appeasing our intellect.
We do need to move forward, as the church, as children of God, and as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a higher agenda than republicans or democrats, a Kingdom agenda. I’m actually interested to hear some of the things that friends who voted for Obama are hoping for. Things they expect to see in his presidency. I’d like to believe that God has many more blessings in store for us as we look ahead.
As a pastor to young people, I’m often asked how to know if something is in the will of God. People seem to have a lot of trouble with that question. It appears like things are going well for them and then all of a sudden it feels as though a door gets slammed in their face. I tell them this: a closed door is just as clear in directing us to God’s will as an open door is (in fact, it’s usually more clear). We can’t look at this as a loss, or we’re playing into the devil’s hand. Unity needs to be one of the Church’s greatest strengths.
Lift up your head. God is still on the throne.