the Kingdom...

So the election is over and Barack Obama is our 44th President. I have to admit I felt a lot of confusion in this whole campaign. I voted Republican, but to be honest, walking in to vote I was worried. What if we are wrong about all of this, I wondered - what if we need to be more concerned for championing the poor in this election? Those who are discriminated against? Whenever I have vocalized (sp?) those concerns, I have been answered that we don't know the implications of redistributing wealth, etc. And I tend to agree with that answer...I also know there are moral issues that I could never get past in this race. BUT some Christians are beginning to ask if there is more that we should focus on when voting. I am wondering that as well.
So I have mixed emotions today. I am disappointed because I do respect John McCain and agree with many of his stances. But I am also excited to see what God's plan is for our world and how Obama will be used by God to accomplish that. Whether Obama knows it or not! I couldn't help but feel happy for the many African-Americans I saw on television weeping for joy that one of their own race has achieved - for all of us - such a milestone in overthrowing racism in our land.
Last night Andy and I watched the election coverage with some good friends of ours. When it became clear that our candidate was not going to win, our friend said to us, all that we need to know now is that this is our President now and we must choose to honor and support him and pray for him to be a good President. I agree. We can't go around complaining and judging our country. Too many people did that to our last President. We must now pray and respect him, because our God is sovereign over his election.

However, there is one thing that really concerns me: I see a lot of people raising up our new President as though he is going to change the world. I know that our country can be instrumental for good, positive change. It's time our country does make some major changes. But I am concerned because Obama cannot do that for us. Yes he can be incredibly influential with his power as President. But our only Savior is Jesus Christ. The only one we are to worship is Jesus. He is the one that sets prisoners free and preaches good news to the poor and releases the oppressed. But here's the problem - Jesus' hands and feet, the Church, hasn't been doing a very good job of expressing this good news to the poor, imprisoned, and oppressed. So now, where the Church has failed, the people are looking to the government to pick up. Our friend told us last night that many of these problems began when churches started focusing on building projects and building up their services and infrastructures instead of feeding the hungry and reaching out to the poor in the communities. YES, YES, YES. That is exactly what has happened and continues to happen. So maybe if this didn't happen, the poor wouldn't be looking to Obama right now to save them because the Church would already be showing the transforming power of Jesus to them. It's time we wake up. This is OUR responsibility, not the government. The Church has dropped the ball far too much. We have lost our purpose and perspective. We have to get it back!

2,000 years ago a man came and announced change. He called people to change, he told people a message of hope. He is the only one who truly can change this world still today. Let's get our eyes back on THAT Man, our Savior. Let's seek HIS Kingdom now in our country. Let's let go of fear, prejudice, judgments, self-righteousness and get our hands dirty to build up His reign.