I sure didn’t mean to open a can of worms and speak out about politics right now on this blog – because frankly, I can’t think of one good thing to presently say. I really tried to stay out of it and just pray, pray, pray. Truly. And even now, I have no “Political Endorsement” to issue… or big mind-blowing human wisdom to share. I simply have a heavy heart that’s getting heavier by the day as I’m listening to every. single. potential. political. leader. of this once “Nation Under God” tear each other down, lie, and pretend to be who they are not. It seems that they’ve all bought into the enemy’s great lie that they are the exception to the rule, and that whatever they are doing now is ok, because it’s “for the greater good” and the end will justify the means.
I don’t mean to be a “Debbie Downer!” I have TREMENDOUS hope in God. But my hope in man has been shattered (which is ok, really, since we are to put our hope only in God anyway). I’m struggling with being terribly disappointed in some Christian leaders who, this go around, seem to have bypassed how the Bible says to weigh a leader and instead of remaining quiet, have chosen to boldly endorse certain candidates. That’s what I just can’t make compute in my (obviously limited) understanding.
Is this bothering any of you, too?
I offer no answers here, but instead a simple plea – and I’m sure many of you are already doing this – but every time you watch the news, or notice something about the upcoming election, or hear insults thrown, will you join me in laying our country and its leaders, present and future, at the feet of Jesus? It’s all I know to do. It’s all that brings a settled peace over my heart these days.
I was reading in Romans when I came across these verses, and couldn’t help but think about our country. Written so very long ago, about a nation different from ours, these words remind us that we are not so unlike the ancient people after all, in that we both have moved away from God and our intended purpose.
May God have mercy upon us!
18 For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative.
(19) For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.
(20) For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]
(21) Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.
(22) Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].
(23) And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
(24) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],
(25) Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]
(26) For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural andabnormal one,
(27) And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another–men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
(28) And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,
(29) Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers,
(30) Slanderers, hateful to and hating God, full of insolence, arrogance, [and] boasting; inventors of new forms of evil, disobedient and undutiful to parents.
(31) [They were] without understanding, conscienceless and faithless, heartless and loveless [and] merciless.
(32) Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them.
Romans 1:18-32 (Amplified)
Y’all… I usually like for us to end these posts with smiles on our faces… but for this one, can we just take a moment and pray? Will you pray right now for our nation? For our leaders? For voters? For our decision makers? For each other? For all of the upcoming elections and debates and interviews? For God’s will to be done through those who are seeking Him? For His glory to be over this nation and those of us who live in it? For His Light and Truth to shine brightly through His servants?
With love and prayers…
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