Some thoughts post-election

At 12:45 PM CST, FoxNews has the breakdown listed as Obama taking 303 electoral votes, Romney 203, leading to Obama winning his re-election bid. I'm really not at all surprised. Did I want Obama as my president? No. Did I want Romney? No. Actually, I don't know as any candidate on the ballot would have lined up with what I believe is right to the point that I would have wanted them to win. Of course, that's just going to be the nature of things as Jesus Christ isn't ever going to run for president (rest assured, He will physically reign over the entire earth at some point, and I am forever grateful that He paid the price that has allowed me--and anyone else who will humble themselves and receive His free gift of salvation from sin--entry into His kingdom). There will never be a "savior" candidate on our ballot, and it's frustrating to see how many people on any side of the issue seem(ed) to think their guy would be such a person.

Some things are going to change in this country. I am certain we will see an increase in the size of government, and increase in demand for the government to give people their "dues," and a plowing forward to a socialist state. I can only predict that the economy will get worse, small businesses will go under at an alarming rate, and the spread-the-wealth mentality will trickle down to take money out of the pockets of people in my income bracket. Our national debt is going to continue to increase dramatically, our international standing will become a joke, and we will capitulate further to the demands of the United Nations. In the name of "tolerance," preaching what the Bible teaches will become more and more difficult as it will be considered hate speech to a greater degree to say that homosexuality is wrong or that Islam will not lead one to God.

But some things will not change.

Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." I serve a God who has not changed in all of eternity. And as we are reminded in Hebrews 13:6, "So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" And in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." I enjoy my two-bedroom townhouse with nice carpet, running water, good insulation, a small balcony that holds a gas grill; my car that runs well; a closet and dresser full of clothes; enough good food to eat that I don't always find it the easiest to lose weight; and a host of other things too numerous to mention. But diminish everything, even take away what I have, and God is still with me.

First Timothy 2:1-4, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." This might be a bitter pill to swallow for some of you who were pulling for someone other than Obama to win the election (or some other candidate for some office other than president). Christians, how much prayer have you lifted up on behalf of our president? I point the finger at myself here, because I have certainly failed in this area. He says he is a Christian, I think his speech and actions say otherwise, but neither case excuses my not praying for him. Having declared myself guilty up to now, I am dedicating myself to pray for all of the leaders in this country.

Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This commandment, given directly to the Apostles and passed on to all Christians afterward, has never changed. My duty as a Christian is to take part in fulfilling the Great Commission. I see this as probably one of the greatest failings in our nation. You want to make the morals of this country line up with what the Bible teaches? Then hearts need to be won to Christ. Some people within the church might rip me to shreds for the implication of what I'm about to say, but do you realize that nowhere in the New Testament are we told to change the way the government operates and what laws are passed? True, the comparison isn't the cleanest, as we live in a country where the populace is afforded the right to vote and thus steer the direction the country takes whereas the Roman Empire had a man at the top basically calling the shots, but even in the Gospels we never see Jesus attempting to take control of Israel, even though He is the Messiah. Christians, do you want to see biblical values restored and upheld? Then we all need to be taking our responsibility to reach out to this fallen world seriously.

I don't know how long we have left in this world before God's clock reaches zero and the final judgment begins, but until the day I am taken to be with Him, I am a soldier in His army and I have a duty to fulfill. I am a Christian first, and an American second. May God forgive all of His children who have confused the issue and reversed those roles. I am glad I was born in this country and have experienced 31 years of sweet freedom, but true freedom rests not in our legal system or even the Constitution: it is found in Christ alone.