Politics
During my morning devotion, I was reminded of Jesus and his relationship with the men and women who followed him. They were all excited about the expectation of being released from Roman bondage. They saw Jesus’ miracles, heard how he put the Pharisees in their place and even that he walked on water.
Their Messiah had arrived!
But Jesus warned them of what was to come. They had a dream; a picture in their minds of what messiah and savior meant. They had pre-conceived ideas of what their Messiah would do for them. Fortunately for us, their ideas didn’t really match Jesus’ plan.
I see Americans reacting in the same way when it comes to politics. We have preconceived ideas as to what would make this country whole again. Some say it’s the Right while others say it’s the Left. Some say Obama while others say Romney. I’ve even heard the argument that if Jesus was alive today, he would be a member of one party and not the other.
Really?
While Jesus respected the authority of government, he never ran for office or involved himself in politics. He was more concerned with eternity. The only movement he focused on was training twelve ordinary men in the ways of their Heavenly Father.
And I praise God that he succeeded.
Political parties and platforms come and go, but God’s word stands the test of time. If I’m available, I might watch some of the presidential debate tonight. But what I make sure to do during my days is focus on what is never-changing. And what remain constant are God’s promises.
God word tells us how to find peace.
God’s word tells us how to live forever.
God word tells us about abundance.
God’s word tells us how to live our lives.
God’s word even tells us many things will happen before he returns, so why, then, do so may wring their hands over political outcomes?
For me, there are so many of God’s promises that I need to fully comprehend. I have little time to get upset over the political colors of red or blue. In this political season, I will not be swayed by rhetoric. I am and will continue to be swayed by the promise of God.
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Yes, we need to respect the government, obey it, and pray for it. Then we need to look away (beyond the social issues) unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Everything political will pass away but He is eternal. We can make a big difference by praying and proclaiming (as presented by Kyle at http://lifeandbuilding.com/2012/11/13/prayer-politics-by-other-means/).
I appreciate this. How easily we shift our focus from Jesus to men.
Thanks, Karen. I try to be as patriotic as the next person, but not at the cost of putting Country in front of God. That’s my only challenge at this time of the year. Keep following! 🙂
Robin,
I realize this was an older post; so, I hope it is still okay to share some thoughts. I must say I agree with you only in part. While Jesus did not run for office, his training of the 12 was to teach them to effectively impact their society with Kingdom principles. Romans 13:4; Luke 22:25-26 basically says Civil leaders are servants of the people and of God, and are to govern under His higher authority. They are to be ministers of God for good . For this to occur, Christians must be involved in selecting good men to office. ProvidenceFoundation.com offers insight to our responsibility as Christians & a comparison of how the Presidential Candidates stand in view of God’s perspective.
Thanks, Vicki, for your input. You brought up some very well-discussed points. My interest, though, is how many people are more interested in politics than in the voters’ souls? I don’t hear sobs from well-meaning Christians when an opportunity is lost to lead someone to Christ. I hear lots of rhetoric, though, when social issues are thrown about and points of view are different.
I am speaking here about neighbor-to-neighbor ministry. Good men in political office are important, but our country will not change because of the involvement of government. It will change when the hearts of this country’s people break for what breaks God’s heart. What is important to me is the responsibility that God gives me (John 13:34 & Luke 10:27) every day.
I think Republicans as well as Democrats can make this difference. Websites like http://www.worldvision.org and http://www.Iamsecond.com are the types of website that move me to action.
Robin,
I agree that individuals need to have the heart of Christ & while I agree that neighbor to neighbor ministry is different in scope, I can’t help but to believe that the faith of our founding fathers influenced the hearts of men which influence life in this world and eternity.
I also agree with you about World Vision & those types of ministries. Last Christmas, we began the tradition of giving the gift of a goat & chickens in our grand-children’s names. We used the opportunity to teach them about giving the gift of life in both a practical & spiritual way. We let them know we hoped they too will carry on the tradition. Then my son gave me the gift of purchasing a goat in my name…it was the greatest gift I ever received!
Blessings!
i agree