I recently saw a board that used president Obama’s name as an acronym to spell our a sentence that is best left to the imagination. The viewing of this board reminded me of my experience during the presidential election season in 2012.
It was a Saturday morning in October 2012, a few weeks before the the presidential election. My friend had invited me to a prayer meeting held by her church. As I entered the well-kept building, I heard a steady stream of passionate prayers. The sound of prayer buoyed up my spirit, so I took a few moments to prepare my heart and then stepped up my walking pace to quickly join the proceedings!
After about 50 minutes of bold and passionate prayer, a person got up from the crowd, picked up the microphone and said: Let us pray against the persecution and slander that is coming against the president. At this, the room went into a frenzy! The passion that was already high went through the roof and the noise level reached deafening proportions. I am certain a few people received their heavenly language that day as it seemed the whole room burst into all sorts of tongues. There were many declarations such as: Enough is enough, the powers of darkness cannot stop your will, he will be re-elected! For another 15 minutes, folks prayed fervently against racism, prejudice, elitism, protection, and everything you can imagine for the president!
The following day, I went to a more familiar church. The atmosphere was vibrant and the worship spectacular. During the service, one of the pastors said of the coming elections: Be sure to vote, but let us pray for our president, no matter who gets elected. This is what the scripture tells us to do (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
After service, a number of people approached me gingerly…wondering which way I was slanted on the election. One lady approached boldly and said, I wish we had more people in 70805 like you. I wondered if she had ever been there. Another came forth and said: I don’t have to ask which way you are voting because I already know… for you love God. After searching my eyes for a few seconds, the person deemed it safe and then proceeded to let me know his thoughts on President Obama and the people that supported him.
As the election approached, many commented that they wanted to see God’s elected in office this time around.
The passion reached an ungodly crescendo on election night. The transformation was instant on social media: Angels turned into demons; Dr Jekyll became Mr Hyde; the frog became a charming prince. It took some people weeks to recover…some have never recovered.
After seeing the poster, I wondered what God thought about it all, so I asked him. He answered me by asking me some questions:
- What if My people are as passionate about seeking me, reaching the lost, saving their marriages, and obeying my voice in their hearts as they are about which party or who is elected into office? Would they not be victorious by now?
- Am I divided? I am supposed to be the head of the body – which is the church. Has not the head been choked from the body? Without the leadership of the head, the body turns against itself. The arm does what it wishes and the leg does as it wishes. The body is stumbling around in the dark all because it has decided to turn away from its source of supply
- Has not the church become prideful? They decide what they want in their hearts and then pray to me fervently to bring to pass their own will. They have made themselves gods. I am the author and finisher of their faith. I have no obligation to finish what I have not authored!
- Are not my people afraid? They slander and kill each other with their words because they do not trust me. They act in their own selfish interest and kill their neighbor for gain.
- Have I already not made a way? If my people would just do what I have asked of them – go and make disciples of the people around them, then all people would know my will. But they only go to make a new convert for the sake of telling their friends. They go on mission trips for themselves and not for me. They only follow me for gain. Many are as Judas Iscariot. They have allowed the enemy a foot-hold.
- Do they not take my name in vain? My people invoke my name to achieve their own goals. The leaders lead my flock astray. Why do they follow the law and not my Spirit though I have redeemed them from the law.
Friends, there are allegedly 2 billion people who claim to know Jesus. This is one-fourth of the world population! Moreover, 78-80% of the US population proclaim to know Jesus. With these kinds of stats, we should be able to change the world. Remember that biblical Gideon was able to down 135,000 men with only 300 men with the help of God.
This tells me that if we want real change in our world, we have to start by changing ourselves. The world will respond to who we are and not what we say. Instead of worrying about who is going to be or has been elected into office, we should pay more attention to what we are doing in the priestly office to which we have been elected. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9)
Food for Thought: Yes I am not perfect, but am I so imperfect? Could I do better?
SuperChamp 