Two very different men are running for President of the United States: Barak Obama and John McCain. There are "multi-many" predictions about who is going to win and what precentage each has in any given poll.People have strong opinions about each candidate and their running mates. Due to various factors actually unrelated to each man's competency to be elected to this highest office in our land (like race and sex and media coverage), this election cycle has probably been one of the most intense of any ever. Add to that mix the dire predictions about our economy and numbers beyond my ability to comprehend, there is more than a little fear going around. Then, it seems the "Russians are coming" into the western hemisphere for war "games" for the first time since the "cold war" ended. More fear is going around!I used to say that if so-in-so were elected, I'd move to Australia but given the state of Australia that's probably not a positive option. So it would be easy to be stuck in fear - like Peter was (Matthew 14:30-31) - looking at the waves crashing at my feet and taking my eyes off the One Who put the stars in place. He can certainly control and rule and overrule in the affairs of men made from the very sod He made (Gen. 2:7)!A recent email reminds me of the truth that no matter who wins the election there are some unchangeable truths for my heart:- The Bible will still have all the answers for living God's way.
- Prayer will still work. God will still be listening!
- God's Holy Spirit will still be at work restoring hearts and changing lives.
- God will still show up when His people worship.
- Faithful pastors will still preach God's truth.
- God's people will still have reason to praise Him!
- Jesus' work on the cross will still work to restore hearts and lives broken by sin.
- God's love, grace and mercy will not change.
- Jesus will still be the Friend Who sticks closer than a brother.
- God's purpose for His creation will still be working out according to His plan and the earth will be filled with "the knowledge of the Lord" as surely as the water covers the sea (Habbakuk 2:14).
So, yes, it does matter that serious Christians vote their conscience in this election, but we must remember that God is still on His throne no matter who wins!
This past Saturday afternoon John McCain, Sarah Palin and their entourage came to Washington, PA. We went to see them. It was almost unbearably hot, but we suffered thru waiting for them. Never having seen a presidential candidate "up close" we wanted to go. It was a big deal for little ole' Washington, PA! There was a really short guy who danced on stage with his two cane sticks while country singer John Rich sang. Lynn Swann of Steeler fame made a dashing and articulate appearace before jumping off the stage and crashing to the ground when he slipped on the plywood. He quickly recovered, broke into a run and scrambled over the wall on his way to his son's ballgame. In thinking about that little man on the stage and our long wait to see someone important, I also reflected on what it must have been like to travel with Jesus or wait to see him pass along the road. Many, many people followed Jesus. They liked to see the things He did and hear what He had to say. Sometimes there were so many people around Jesus that short people at the back just couldn’t see. Amos is a friend. Amos is very short because Amos’ legs are all broken and don’t work. Amos gets around most of the time on a skateboard. Sometimes he uses a wheelchair. Amos says that sometimes all he can see when people stand up is their legs or bottoms because he is so short.
Saturday afternoon after our long, hot wait the McCain "Straight Talk Express" pulled onto the field and parked right in front of the people who had been sitting for hours in the heat in the bleachers waiting. The bus just sat there after the VIP's went on stage. Soon chants of "Move that bus, Move that bus!" were reverberating across the bleachers. FINALLY the bus moved so we could see.My experience Saturday gave me a whole new perspective on an account from the life of Jesus in Luke 19:1 - 10. The McCain Rally helped me see the story of Zacchaeus in a new light. I could get more inside the story after my day waiting in the sun for a glimpse of the important persons - McCain and Palin - who were supposed to show up. I can now understand so much better what the crowds who followed Jesus must have been thinking and feeling. I can understand why Zacchaeus climbed the tree and hid in the leaves. One day Jesus met a man who was very short, too - like Mr. Two-Foot-Tall at the McCain Rally. (Luke 19:1-10) This man’s legs worked but they were just very short. His name was Zacchaeus. Even when he stood as tall as he could on his tiptoes, he still couldn’t see. Even when Zacchaeus jumped up and down, he couldn’t see over the tall people around Jesus. When Zacchaeus asked people to move over and let him get to the front so he could see, they pushed closer together and wouldn’t let him past. Why were people so mean to Zacchaeus? There was a reason. People in Jericho – where Zacchaeus lived – didn’t like Zacchaeus because he had stolen a lot of money from all the people in Jericho. Zacchaeus worked for the Romans. He collected taxes. He added to the amount of the taxes so he could take that off the top for himself. Zacchaeus was a cheat and a thief. He took money from all the people in Jericho. He gave the Romans their part and kept the rest for himself. SO Zacchaeus was a very rich man! He was rich on other people’s money he stole and cheated from them. When Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming to town, he really really wanted to SEE Jesus. So, when he couldn’t stand on tiptoe high enough or jump or push to the front, he ran ahead of the crowd around Jesus. He found a tree right by the road. Quickly Zacchaeus climbed up in the tree and waited. Zacchaeus knew how much people in Jericho hated him. He hid behind the tree leaves so he could see Jesus. Zacchaeus thought no one would be able to see where he was hiding. The crowd and Jesus came closer. Finally Zacchaeus saw Jesus! Jesus was coming straight toward Zacchaeus’ tree. Jesus stopped right in front of the tree trunk, looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down right now. I am coming to your house to eat today.” Zacchaeus was so surprised and excited he almost fell out of the tree as he scrambled down. He almost skipped alongside of Jesus as they made their way to Zacchaeus’ house. Jesus was always full of surprises! Boy! The people in Jericho were really surprised that Jesus wanted to eat with Zacchaeus. The people were also mad. They didn’t like Zacchaeus. They didn’t want Jesus to be nice to Zacchaeus either. They said, “What business does Jesus have getting cozy with this crook (Zacchaeus)?” As Jesus ate lunch with Zacchaeus, they talked. Jesus must have told Zacchaeus that He is God’s Son. Zacchaeus got even more excited when he understood Who Jesus is. Jesus said to Zacchaeus: “Today is salvation day in this home!” Jesus loved Zacchaeus and wanted to be his Savior. Zacchaeus knew he was a bad man who had cheated a lot of people and done other bad things. Zacchaeus knew He needed Jesus! Zacchaeus gave his heart to Jesus that day and loved Jesus from that day on. Zacchaeus is a member of God’s forever family! Zacchaeus knew something else. Zacchaeus knew that he needed to do something really radical to show the people in Jericho that Jesus had changed his heart. So Zacchaeus gave away half of all his money to people who needed help and he promised to pay back the money he had cheated people out of. Zacchaeus did even better than just a pay-back. He paid back 4 times more than he stole! WOW! Jesus really did change Zacchaeus’ heart, didn’t He?! Zacchaeus made a choice. He gave His heart to Jesus and made Jesus the King of his life. Kings rule. That means Zacchaeus gave up his rights to do what he wanted to do – like cheating people out of their money. Zacchaeus radically changed because Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ heart. Jesus is still in the heart-changing business! He wants us to love Him and follow Him. He wants us to obey Him. He wants us to show we love Jesus by treating other people right, too – just like Zacchaeus did! It is easy to say, “I love Jesus.” We can SHOW how much we love Jesus by loving other people! That might look like helping friends like Amos get a better view from low down. That might mean pushing someone's wheelchair or helping someone who shakes a lot eat. "Love for Jesus" changes our hearts in radical ways just like Zacchaeus and will show in how we act as well as what we say!
Rick Warren and Saddleback Church took their risk last night. I don't know that I have ever seen a more fair, even-handed "forum."Rick Warren had exactly the same pleasant, affirming manner toward both candidates: Barak Obama and John McCain. Rick Warren asked each in exactly the same manner the very same questions. The only exception is that John McCain fielded his questions a bit more crisply than did Obama so there were time for a few additional questions for Sen. McCain.Watching the people and pastor of Saddleback Church, I was struck with the civility and true Christian spirit that permeated the atmosphere. Rick Warren was probing the beliefs and character of both presidential candidates last night. In doing so, he revealed a lot about his own faith and character qualities. The people of Saddleback (judging from the applause) aren't all going to robotically vote for one or the other of the candidates. There seemed to be a significant number of supporters for each in the audience yet they all behaved in a manner that honored God.I think we saw a blazing illustration last night of where the church needs to be in society. There was no raging rhetoric last night. There was no discourtesy. There was respect and fairness - in my view - all the way around.When our brothers and sisters (like those at Saddleback Church) show their faith is such a dramatic way, we should applaud them and give glory to God that His church is finally acting like it should at least in that corner of southern California! My guess is that God is working in and among the members and friends of Saddleback Church. My guess is also that God showed up last night and was pleased with what He saw.
Separation of church and state? It's a hot button topic for sure. Recently I took a 3-week internship at the Christian Institute on Disability in California. One question I heard asked by several lecturers talking about bioethics and other current issues related to disability is "Where was the church?" "Where is the church?"I'm not sure the church has ever played a more prominent role in a presidential election - certainly not since John Kennedy ran for president as the first Roman Catholic. In this presidential election cycle most prominent have been the sermons and rhetoric of Rev. Jeremiah Wright from Chicago, Obama's former pastor.Tonight Pastor Rick Warren - known world-wide for his book The Purpose Driven Life - is going to interview both Barak Obama and John McCain. Some may say "the church" should not step into the arena of presidential politics. But if Christians are going to do what Jesus said - be salt and light in a very sick world - then we need to know who the presidential candidates are and what they believe so we know where they are grounded. Rick Warren may or may not be up to such an awesome assignment, but - at least - he is taking the risk.And that's where the church (which is ALL who have hearts being restored by the grace, love and power of God's Gospel) should be - in the arena and on the cutting edge of what some have called "societal evolution." If we don't risk to make a difference, who will?
