The election is over. Our nation has chosen a President and anyone who knows me, knows it is not the one that I voted for. There are many emotions raging through our nation tonight that range from jubilation to depression and anxiety. I fall in neither category yet I do have emotions about tonight.
When we talk about what our nation needs – no matter what your political preference – I think we could all agree that our land needs healing. Whether it is our economy, our social security, our morals, our foreign relations, or more bi-partisanship – we need some healing in much of these areas. For all those who did not vote for the victorious President, you will personally feel like you need some healing. As Christians, especially, we see America as a place that we are thankful for but we feel that it is a dark place and that she is turning her back on God. I will not argue that as I believe it is true. However, as Christians, we also place the responsibility for this squarely in the laps of Presidents, abortionists, homosexuals, liberal politicians, bad economists, and even on God. God must somehow be judging this nation for all of her evil living. I am not God and have learned long ago to quit reading His mind. I just stick to His Word and since I do not find America in His Word, I don’t know if He is judging us or not. I do know that He will judge sin and as America digresses more and more into sin, she will judge herself. Much like my life would be a judgement against myself if I decide to start cheating on my husband, killing innocent people, living irresponsibly and selfishly. I think God’s greatest judgement is not what He does TO us, but what He allows us to do to ourselves. Free will you know.
I am a Christian. As I look around and take in all the healing that needs to be done, I lift my arm to point my fingers of blame and I can’t. You see, I cannot get past II Chronicles 7:14 which says, “If my people, which are called by my name,shall 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.” As I lift my arm to point, I am horrified to realize I must point to myself. You see, in this verse, God promises us healing!! He did not say, “I will consider…”, or “I will pray about it….”, He said, “I WILL!” That is a promise!
As He promises us this healing, He is only talking to one category of people: His people. “If my people, which are called by my name….shall humble themselves, and pray…” – why is it that we read the “my people” part and then jump right to “prayer?” We completely ignore the “humble themselves” part. We are such prideful lot! Pride got Lucifer kicked out of Heaven- remember He decided he was equal with God? Pride got Eve in the Garden of Eden- remember Satan said she could be like the gods if she ate the forbidden fruit? Pride has taken down many great spiritual leaders who thought they were somehow the ones to get away with something and never get caught.
God calls for His people to turn from their wicked ways. What is the wicked way? I am not a scholar but it looks pretty plain to me. Probably the thing we are being wicked about is the thing he told us to take care of – our pride! You mean, not all of these wicked sins? Sins are a problem but I am pretty sure they are all rooted in pride. Wow. That just shoves all the responsibility right back in our faces doesn’t it? You want to help dispel darkness? Then humble yourself and be a light! Be what Jesus has called all of us to be! Don’t be a Christian in words. Be a Christian in action. Humble yourself to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Being a true follower of Jesus is not about us at all. It is all about Him! He says we must lose it all to find Him! He says to be lifted up, we must humble ourselves.
I LOVE it that Jesus is the One who first brought in the rights of women to be equal. I LOVE it that Jesus was always on the side of the mistreated. I LOVE it that Jesus was reaching out, literally, to the poor and disabled. I LOVE it that Jesus loved children and had their interests in His heart. I LOVE it that Jesus did not play the politics of the day – including religious politics. Jesus was here to do the will of His Father, which He did – even at the cost of His life. I, for one, am thankful that He was not distracted by playing the blame game for all the national turmoil of His day, but was serious doing what He knew to do. He changed the face of history in 33 short years.
God is just as capable of healing our land as He has ever been for any land. The answer is in being a true and humble follower of Jesus Christ. The answer to darkness is more light. Christians, light up! God will heal and so will we.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ My husband, Jimmy, wrote a wonderful blog post entitled “Headline For Tomorrow Morning After the Election” that deals with who we look to for our security.
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