America: Not Waving but Drowning

Mail-in ballots are to be mailed out by October 31st. If sleep does not overtake me, I am about to fill out my own ballot. However, before I do so, I feel the need to see in writing some of these many, multicolored thoughts that have been flitting in and out of my mind like so many tiny minnows trying to stay alive just long enough to swim around the pond once or twice.

I've been thinking about politics as a whole. This, I've concluded, is dangerous; it can lead to apathy in times like these. At the moment, my weary brain has two things to say on the topic. The first:

Being so very close to Election Day, just about every television ad is a political one. Every radio ad, every email forward, every Facebook group invitation...I can't seem to catch my breath, there are so many! Since I am a Christian, of course quite a bit of what I read or pay attention to is from the conservative perspective. But: I am continually disappointed in the lemming-like following of Evangelicals behind the McCain/Palin ticket. Since when did the words "evangelical" and "Republican" become synonymous? It's utterly shaming (though I'm no big Obama fan either, mind you). I've read several blogs that share this frustration, and I believe the majority of true believers are in the same, unpleasant boat that I am. (At least, I hope they are...!)

So disgust and frustration among all the political media-madness remain prevelant. Today I hit repeat on the song "O Praise Him" (David Crowder Band)--I must have listened to it twenty times at least--just to push out the clamor and desparately remember that all is for the glory of God alone. I think that merits repeating: All is for the glory of God alone. The song reminded me to

turn [my] ear
to Heaven and hear
the noise inside:
the sound of angels' awe,
the sound of angels' song,
and all this for a King;
We could join and sing,
"All for Christ our King!"

Now how on earth does my eternal citizenship in Heaven translate into a decision regarding which bubble I mark on this one all-too-earthly ballot in 2008? I may as well be asking how God's will is effected on a daily basis; it's essentially the same question, after all, and shall therefore go unanswered at the moment. Many words are meaningless...stand in awe of God... So I ask in place of my question, Psalm 8:4: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"

* * *
I shall move on to a slightly different topic. A broader one. It suddenly occurred to me this evening that this democracy/ republic/ voting thing we've got going in America is a lot like the Old Testament law. SO many people believe that democracy is salvation--vote in the right candidate, and our nation's problems will be fixed; vote to "spread the wealth," and national peace and happiness will result; vote to ban abortions, and the angry, "anti-Democrat" God will be appeased for another four years.

What?

We CANNOT impart life to our nation through laws! Salvation comes from God alone, for His glory alone.

Here is where I mention that I am no Bible scholar, nor do I know how problematic it may be to look at things this way (do please tell me, if you yourself are a scholar, that is), but consider Galatians 3 (or all of Galatians, really...and Romans for that matter):

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Is that too harsh? Hmm....Well, it wasn't for Paul, that's for sure... The Apostle goes on to say that the law served its purpose by pointing people to the need for Christ:

22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

So, I suppose, in conclusion, I merely have this to say:

Our political system is imperfect; it WILL fail--if it hasn't already, then it will oh-so-soon, surely. However, like the Old Testament law, that imperfection should serve to point us all to the need for the TRULY perfect. 2 Corinthians 4 is a great passage. Though we cannot hope to suffer nearly as much for the cause of Christ as Paul did, we hold this to be true:

16Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

America doesn't need McCain or Obama. It needs Christ, and--thankfully--He's much too big to fit only in the Oval Office. But He fits in my heart, and in the hearts of my fellow citizens. And in changing hearts, He will be changing what's wrong with America, and the world. DO vote, and vote your conscience. But please see beyond that vote, this election. And cry with all the fervor of a political rally: "Come, Lord Jesus, come!"

Christ (and Politics?) Alone

On this blog, I do my best to transcend trifling subjects. That is, I do not wish to simply put down events that have happened, but rather to show their significance in this wide world, to point people (myself, most of all) to a higher reason for them--for which reason must often be thrown out the window. So reluctantly, but necessarily, I must discuss the current buzz of the political world; necessarily so, because my heart and soul are hurting for the state of our nation and the state of the souls of men.

Lately, being home most every day, I have been listening to talk radio, which I do enjoy. It keeps me up to date on current events, which I feel I need to be following more closely than I've done in the past.

And on the radio (and elsewhere, of course), Barak Obama has been taking quite a hit because his pastor, Jeremiah Wright (it pains me to say "Reverend"), has been recorded vehemently spouting "anti-American," racist sentiments. Moreover, Obama replied to the angry masses with an historical speech on race, proceeding the next day to use the phrase "typical white person" in an interview, therefore taking yet another hit. So in summary, I've been hearing quite a bit of opinion from various Americans regarding this issue. Church-goers and others alike are astounded by the words of these men, and they should be, for the most part.

On the other end of the spectrum (sort of), I was sent an email containing a link to a YouTube video in which a black pastor in New York was preaching against Obama, basically calling him an agent of the devil. At one point, he even directly called Obama a "freak." So one black pastor sings Obama's praises in a bigotted way, and another black pastor condemns him in a bigotted way.

Now, I understand that sound bites can definitely take things out of context and, furthermore, perhaps I have not searched deeply enough, but...um, I'm having a little trouble finding people who are righteously outraged that these preachers are using the pulpit to bring forth anything other than Christ. I imagine that if Christ Himself could hold His nose long enough to walk into these churches, He would overturn the pulpits (one complete with a "Jesus is Lord" banner), for they certainly seem to be dens of robbers--robbing people of the truth that is Christ alone.

I am reminded "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven..." Though in that same passage (Matthew 7) is the "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" verse, so do understand that I am not saying these men aren't actually Christians; it is obviously not my place to make that call. I simply want to know: What happened to pastors preaching Christ? Is the word of God so powerless as to need the help of man's viewpoint?

Christ is the supreme example of love (a love not of ourselves but of God, and love for others out of that love for God!), but I see no love in the words of these men. Jesus did not love certain groups of people, he loved all people, and that includes Hillary, Barak, McCain, Bush...every politician that ever made you appreciate or detest politics. They are all humans with souls, and slandering them will not save them. (Are you listening, right-wingers?) It will not save this nation either, as if we could slander the "bad" presidential candidates right out of office, then pat ourselves on the back for it.

God says, "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:13-14) The more I listen to the news, the more I feel that we are in a spiritual drought, that armies of demons are devouring the hearts of man, that a plague of un-common sense is killing us off by the thousands. And that impresses on me the very great importance of a humble heart in prayer.

1 Peter 4:7-8 and 17-18: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins...it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, 'If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?'"

So get angry, America. So angry that you trade your "humble opinions" for humble hearts; so angry that you cry out for the One that can bring real change, change not of human policies but of the human condition from the inside out. Love as Christ would love. And let it begin in me.