Well, it is shaping up to be quite an election season. History will be made this November as we elect a new president and vice president to office. We will either have our first African American president of the United States, or we will have the first woman to ever serve as the second in command. It truly is memorable for our country.
Regardless of your political leanings, I think we must agree that both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin are two incredibly impressive candidates. Obama is an incredibly charismatic man who has rallied great hope for change among many Americans. Palin is a force to reckon with in her own right as she teams with John McCain as the Republican nominees for the White House. While I have maintained some interest in politics through the years and always seek to vote, I have never enjoyed taking in the whole process quite so much.
There also seems to be a great sense of urgency among many people concerning the upcoming election. The dividing lines between parties are as strong as ever. The cries for political change are ringing loud and clear. People are concerned about the economy, concerned for our soldiers, concerned about foreign policy, concerned about terrorism, etc. Both candidates believe they offer the leadership that is so needed in our nation at this time.
I just want to offer a few reminders for us during this season. It is our natural human tendency to put our hope in human leaders. Many get excited about “their candidate,” and think he/she is the answer for all our nation’s issues and problems. I have seen both Democrats and Republicans do this through the years. While strong leadership is incredibly important, I think that Christians need to remember that the true hope for our country will never be found in the White House. I do not mean that as any disrespect for the office of the president. I will honor whoever has the privilege to serve as our next president even if I disagree with his policies.
Our hope as a nation though is ultimately found in an office that is higher than the oval office. Scripture gives us this admonition: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). God promises to bless a nation who honors Him. We are also given this bit of wisdom from the book of Proverbs: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
I know that many in our country may not agree, but scripture indicates that God’s blessing and protection of our nation (or any nation) are affected in large part by our nation’s attitude toward God. The song “God Bless America” became a heart cry for many in our nation after 9/11. Many of our nation’s leaders end their speeches with “May God bless America.” God’s blessing on our country is a great desire. Shortly after 9/11 though, I remember seeing a “God bless America” sign on the marquee of an Atlanta strip club. It struck me funny and odd to see the sign on such an establishment. Why would God want to bless an establishment like that? It’s wrong. And yet the sign seemed to me to be an indication of how we have cheapened the idea of God’s blessing on our nation.
Our nation needs God’s hand to guide. This is an important season for our country. So I encourage you all to pray daily for our country as we continue this important season. Pray for God’s guidance in the lives of our candidates. Ask God to bring us the best possible leader for our nation at this time. Let’s humble ourselves and ask God to bless us as a nation though we don’t always deserve it. Ask God to shed his grace upon our nation again. May God truly help us and bless America. And that’s the Word.