Lord, Have Mercy

I simply cannot wait until this election is over. I will be grateful for the relief from meanness, arrogance, and mud-slinging. Oh wait, no matter who wins, it will all go on.

What upsets me the most is how we get so confused about God and politics. We so easily lose the boundaries between God and human government. Who do we think we are to assume that any person is God's chosen one? Seems to me that the only person who can assume that description is Jesus himself. Nobody, and I repeat NOBODY, is worthy of that title. Yes, I believe God uses us to do good things in the world, and God even uses our major screw-ups from which to bring good. I am praying for this election. I am praying that God will give us wisdom and courage. And whoever wins, I will continue to pray that God will continue to work through us, through our leader, through our country and all the countries of the world. I will not believe that whoever wins is the Chosen one of God. And if the one that I vote for doesn't win, I will not assume that God has abandoned us or ignored us and didn't answer our prayers. Is it not arrogant of us to assume we know what God wants? Or to even know the full extent of what God can do? God is not limited by a human being-- our president, our government, or any one of us. Thank God! We are in a royal mess right now, and the blame for that extends beyong any one human being. But I do beleive that such messes come from greed, arrogance, idolatry (worship of anything but God), and self-centeredness.

Do we trust our government completely? Do we really think that that they are all godly people looking out for the best interests of our country? We are never surprised when another scandal comes down, another major financial corporation is brought down by its own greed. We are not suprised at the many atrocities committed by people in leadership, people with the power to make major decisions that affect our lives. Who are we to think that anyone who gets up that high in the hierarchy, in the levels of power, money and fame, can remain true to the ways of God without blemish?? Can any of us even agree on what "Christian values" are? If we could, would there be so many different denominations??

Pray. Vote. And then accept whatever happens. As I will. Yeah, I'll be upset if the person I vote for doesn't win, because I believe that he can do some good things. Perfect? No way. Susceptible to corruption? Of course. They, we, all are. But if I don't get "my way," which I have come to, I assure you, through prayer and reflection, then I will continue to pray for our country AND for our president. Even if I don't like him. Because I believe God is bigger than any politician, any leader, any government, and God is not going to be stymied either way. I do not believe that God is Democrat or a Republican. I don't believe that either party has the advantage in God's eyes, is any more "Christian" than the other. They are parties made up of millions of individual people with diverse opinions, backgrounds and faiths, but all sharing a common humanity. Which is fallible. Whoever becomes president will not be our Savior. Our Messiah. We will all vote for the one we think can do what needs to be done. But if we're mature about it, then we will accept whoever gets it and go on, together, as one country, by the grace of God. But please, let's not confuse our politics with our faith. God is higher, more powerful, and much much greater than any human being, no matter what office they get to hold for just a little while.

God, have mercy on us all through this election and in the future. And help us to stop fighting and judging long enough to figure out how to work together for a future that we don't have to apologize to our descendents for. May it be so.