If you are a conservative, Christian American, as I am....you are probably wondering about the presidential candidates we have set before us. I see passion, I see talent, I see dedication.... I see politicians, each pretty much successful in their own right. None of them perfect, but hey, at least they were willing to "throw their hats in the ring" and run for office. That's more than I can say for myself. After all, I prefer to just sit on the side lines and judge. Yeah, I added that last part because, I notice the pride, greed and arrogance in others, especially those who fall under the label of "Politicians", but I generally don't notice it so much in myself. Nope. (O: I excuse myself by saying, "Well, they are being paid to mind my business...."
Americans have great expectations for the man they elect to be president. The hardest of all is their demand that the candidate they chose needs to be able to save them from themselves. They become very disappointed and discouraged to find out that their newly elected president can't save himself from himself, let alone anyone else.
I am reading a book, "Between A Rock And A Grace Place" by Carol Kent.This is how it begins:
"If you picked up this participants's guide, it no doubt means you are someone who is living in the middle of circumstances you wish were more favorable."
Then, it goes on to say:
"One day when I was struggling....my sister emailed me a verse from the Bible....Romans 9:33. (Eugene Peterson's rendering from The Message)"
"Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion,
a stone you can't get around.
But the stone is me! If you're looking for me,
you'll find me on the way....not in the way."
Furthermore, Carol writes:
"It has now been more than a decade ago, right in the middle of my life, that I ran into a huge boulder, the likes of which I had never encountered on my lifelong walk with God. It could have been my stopping place, the point at which I lost not only some of my most cherished dreams but also my faith....and passion to go on. Instead, I found out that the rock in my path represented not an obstacle but an opportunity to encounter the living God in surprising, sometimes astonishing ways. As I have learned to "press into" the Rock in the middle of my hard places I have learned that I am actually in a position of safety, refuge, and grace.....
"If you too feel caught in one of those tight spots that seem unusually difficult, if not unbearable, I pray that you will come to realize that the pain of being in this place need not cause you to lose hope. If you press into the Rock instead of trying to get around it, you will discover a surprise far better than a birthday or a Christmas gift. On the road that is your life right now, you can find a new way of thinking about your circumstances, as well as an astonishing experience of grace, tailor-made for you. As you encounter God on the way....not in the way....you may come to know Him as you never have before."
So, what does this message have to do with politics? Plenty. How many times have I ignored the TRUTH inside of me, trying to manipulate the outcome of something I feel is very important. I feel it is my public duty to go against what I know within my heart of hearts is wrong, and vote for a more sure thing. As if God is not in control? As if He does not know what is going on and does not have a plan????
Many times I have voted for someone....not because I felt that they were the best choice.... they were simply the one with the most chances of winning. And boy, I betcha God was really proud of me then.....since, if I (and thousands of others) hadn't of compromised on what we believed to be right and true..... who knows what might have happened?
Yes, we saved the day there, didn't we....or did we just postpone, put off or extended some grief and problems that we could have avoided if we had of been true to our God and to ourselves?
This Rock that we have to deal with, what is it? As hard as we try to get the right man in office that will save us from ourselves and give us a good life......it won't happen. If we think that we have to manipulate and compromise our beliefs and value systems to get what we want, then we need to consider where our base is. Because, in the end ...... what we want now ...... can bring us disasterous results later.
What I want.... is not to be confused with what I need. And what I need .... is not always what I want. God places Himself in front of us sometimes, not to bring us distress, but to save us from it. Personally, on this side of the election ...... Obama's win troubles me. I think back on the old testement story, where the children of Israel insisted on having their own King. The Lord said, "But I am your King." Seems He wasn't good enough for them though ...... all of the other nations around them had "real kings" and they wanted to be like everyone else.
Israel's Kings took them in many directions, some far away from God, but their hearts did not have to follow where it was not their desire to go. As this nation continues to ignore the God of the Bible,
looking for answers and salvation elsewhere, it will suddenly find itself where it doesn't want to be and wonder why. Many will pray to a God they don't want to believe in because they need help. He will hear them and answer ..... but they probably still will not want to hear what He has to say......
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