11/5/08

One Nation Under God.

The day after a loss is always a weird kind of day isn't it? Whether its your favorite college team, your kids little league team, or even in politics. It is difficult to lose. When it seems that everything is on the line and you're sure your candidate is the right man or woman for the job and they lose, the loss is hard to take.

So what now? What next? Where do we go from here?

What Now?
I believe that the now of our country is more important than yesterday. Now we have the benefit of having been taught the lessons of history. Now we have a living document that is the foundation of our country written and secured by men who gave their lives to breathe life into it. Now we are a country united in our freedom and determined to protect and preserve our liberty. Now, we are a country whose president elect is a man, born to parents of different races. The yesterday of our country would never have dreamed it to be possible. I wonder if our founding fathers could have imagined where the documents they constructed would carry us and how far reaching their ideals would be. That is something to be proud of. We live in a country where all men and women are free. We are free to run for office, free to vote for candidates of any background, and we are still free when the votes are counted.

Ideologically, spiritually, and politically I disagree with the man our country has elected. Instead of resigning myself to "just pray" I will participate in the process. Now more than ever, I will keep up with what is going on in our government at each level. Now more than ever I will help guard my Constitutional rights by making sure that my voice is heard when elected officials seek to steal them away. Now more than ever, I need to know what my rights are. Now more than ever, I need to pray for my government leaders, support them when they are on the right track, and be heard by them when I believe they are not. Now more than ever, I will pray that God will raise up a new crop of leaders whose hearts He holds and whose steps He orders.

What Next?
Well, the laundry, the kids, then dinner, church...life. Live! Live free! Freedom in Christ first, free as a U.S. Citizen...I am free. You see, life goes on...even after Presidential elections. You have your work, your family, your friends...you have a wonderful life to live. So live it! As if each day were our last, let's live. Has it occurred to you that people across our world would love to be where we are today? Maybe its time to make some new resolutions, maybe its time to re-read 40 Days of Purpose, maybe its time for you and I to do what we haven't already done.

Its time to make a difference; for Christ, for your family, for your country. Have you told your kids the story of our country? Or are you leaving that up to their school? Have you told them about people in your family who have fought for our country? Have you given them a personal sense of pride in being an American? Do they know what it means to you, their Mommy or Daddy, to be an American? So, maybe we should tell them. By the way, have they heard you tell them about Jesus? How important He is to you? Have they heard you say to them all the ways He changed your life? They need to hear that. Tell them today. Season your conversations with it. Let them pray with you about important stuff--like our country, so that when God answers, they will know firsthand that God is alive and He hears our prayers.

Where Do We Go From Here?
The answer to that is yet to be determined. It is up to us isn't it. We've been so blessed, so much has been given to us; our responsibility to our country is great. We have accomplished greatness and we have fallen greatly. I believe our history as a nation is still being written. Will we turn away from sin? Will we renounce abortion? Will we restore the holy institution of marriage to its rightful place? Will we turn away from all that is perverting our minds and hearts? What will you do? Who will you help out so that our government doesn't have to? Will the church be the church? Will we go to our neighbors, the homeless, the widows, the children, the poor, the sick and disabled? What will the church do? What we are capable of is unimaginable! Will we humble ourselves and pray? Will we seek God while He is still found? Will we cry out to God with praise and thankfulness? Will we see Him heal our land?

I believe that since we have so great a cloud of witnesses who have gone before us we must run this race with endurance to the end. Our founding fathers have urged us on by their works and lives; encouraging us by their example: Press on! Carry the torch handed to you by those who have gone ahead! I believe they were men inspired by God who led by His Spirit were able to construct written documents that would govern a great people for many generations. I believe that they knew the success of this country would depend upon the willingness of its people to be united under one God, the One True God.

I believe that where go from here is back to where we began as a country, back to being One Nation Under God.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.

12 Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.

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