Tag Archives: peace

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Election Results

This is NOT a prediction of who will the 2024 elections on the local, state, or national level. As someone who has personally participated in 3 elections, I refuse to predict the outcome of any election. I won my first election, lost my second, and won the third. Election results will be reported when all the ballots are counted. I do believe we have dedicated individuals working to insure the integrity of our elections. This is one of the foundations of a democracy.

I am writing this instead to share my response to the results of the election – no matter what they are.

My daughter’s friend gave me a beautiful copy of a book I treasure. In “Every Moment Holy” there are prayers that help me focus on God’s purpose in a particular activity or circumstance. The following is “For Election Day” *

Whatever the outcome of this election,
let our citizenship and our hope be rooted
first in your heavenly kingdom, that we might 
live in exile here as winsome ambassadors of our
soon-returning King - 
         always in grace loving our neighbors well.
Amen

As a follower of Jesus I take elections seriously. I pray.

  • I pray for wisdom James 1:5 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.“
  • I pray Matthew 6:10 “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”
  • I pray that I have an attitude of humility, knowing that – “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then (when Jesus returns) we will see everything with perfect clarity.” I Corinthians 13:12

Then I read about candidates, I read articles by individuals I respect who are writing about the election, and I talk to those I respect in certain fields of work (i.e. law enforcement, lawyers, business owners, etc.) who are also seeking God’s wisdom in how to vote. I try when possible to meet local candidates personally and find out their motivation for running.

One “test” I apply is finding out if, and how, candidates have served in their communities prior to running for office. (again if possible) I think that is a significant indication of how they will serve after elected. We are electing “public servants” not people who want to further their own agendas. Jesus clearly states that he who would be the greatest among you MUST be the servant of all.

So, how do I respond once the election results are confirmed?

  1. thank God that I live in a democracy where I have the privilege to vote
  2. pray for each one elected that they will seek God’s wisdom to serve and lead – again James 1:5
  3. accept the results as the will of God who places who He chooses in authority. Romans 13:1 “Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you’re trying to get by with something.“

When Phil and I were praying in 2018 about whether or not I should run in my first election, I came across the following verse while doing a Bible study I attend. Jeremiah 29:7 NLT – 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” The word peace there is “shalom” in the original Hebrew and shalom means “peace and wholeness that comes from God”. (I heard this in a recent sermon)

I felt the Lord impressed this verse on my heart for two reasons –

  1. work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you – God led Phil and I to live and raise our family in Jackson County. This is where we were “sent”, so I should work for the wellbeing of our community
  2. where I sent you into exile. My true citizenship is not in the United States, North Carolina, or Jackson County. It is HEAVEN! I am in exile here until Jesus comes back or He takes me home to heaven.

The context of this verse in Jeremiah is a time when God ALLOWED His chosen people to be captured by their enemy and sent into exile in – BABYLON!! Babylon was the epitome of godlessness in that day – yet God had Jeremiah tell His people to work for the peace and prosperity of that very place. God sent them to this pagan culture to learn a lesson they had failed to obey in the promised land.

And we complain about the state of our current culture…..which is undoubtedly of great concern – yet not compared to Babylon. God said their welfare will determine your welfare. God said that.

I am writing this two days before the election in 2024. God already knows the outcome.

My response to the results of this election will reflect if my hope and trust is really in the faithfulness of God. May God’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Amen.

“Every Moment Holy” Volume III, For Election Day by Jessica Smith Culver & Douglas McKelvy, paragraph 3

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Overcoming Evil

It has happened again.

A senseless killing of innocent people. In a church while worshiping, no less.

Where is the God who these folks were praying to?

Does He hear?

Does He care?

These questions flooded my mind yesterday as I heard the news of the tragic shooting in the little town in Texas. A small, unincorporated community where everyone knows each other. The LAST place one would expect such a tragic occurrence.

Just like the place I live.

We know most all our neighbors and wave when they drive by.

I sat in a place of worship yesterday morning, just as those people in Texas did. So did our children and grandchildren in their various locations, surrounded by friends and family.

Christians gather regularly around the world to worship, pray, and learn from Biblical teaching and fellowship.

So did those people in Texas.

I can’t help but think “Why?”

God tells us in Jeremiah 17: 9-10

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.
    Who really knows how bad it is?
10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.”

There is evil in the hearts of some individuals. We don’t understand it. But these verses assure me that God knows, and that He will avenge the ones responsible.

But what about the innocent victims? Those hurting family and friends of those killed and wounded? Why did God allow this?

In Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis addresses this very question. In his chapter The Rival Conceptions of God Lewis writes the following –

“Of course, that raises a very big question. If a good God made the world why has it gone wrong? And for many years I simply refused to listen to the Christian answers to this question, because I kept on feeling ‘whatever you say, and however clever your arguments are, isn’t it much simpler and easier to say that the world was not made by any intelligent power? Aren’t all your arguments simply a complicated attempt to avoid the obvious?’

“My argument against God,” Lewis says, “was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust?”

This is why God became flesh – in the form of man – Jesus – to redeem this cruel, broken world. Jesus is the hope of the world.

This realization does not change the very real suffering of those people in Texas. It does not change the very real hurt and loss of individuals throughout the world suffering from human trafficking, abuse, neglect, or cruelty.

It does give hope for the future. God wants to bring each person into the Light of His love, grace and restoration.

Denying the existence of God because one sees the real and terrible suffering of this life does nothing to alleviate, diminish, or explain that suffering.

Our grandsons dress up as “super heroes” ready to vanquish the evil in their back yard. Don’t we wish it was that simple? Jesus has promised to be with us through all the battles we face.

Right before Jesus was beaten and crucified He told his disciples the following – John 16:33 –

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Jesus wants to give us hope and peace in the midst of the suffering of this world.

We must pray – and hold on to hope.

 

 

 

 

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How Great is the Darkness?

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We woke this morning to the horrifying news of another shooting. I was planning on writing today about the darkness that seems to be permeating our world. Now it seems even more urgent.

What is happening?

I heard a message at church Wednesday from Joe Ewing, a pastor and Bible teacher from Scotland. His words stirred me and have been ringing in my mind and heart ever since.

“Don’t despair as the world around us gets darker and darker. We as Christians have the Light of the World!  The light shines brightest when it is dark. Let your light shine, Church!”

Instead of wringing my hands, and lamenting the sad state of our world (which indeed is very bad) I need to let my light shine.

What does this mean?

Pastor Ewing shared from Isaiah 60:1-5 which says –

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

 The context of this passage is a very dark time in Israel. The prophet Isaiah wants Israel to know that their hope is in God.

But where is God in the midst of the darkness?

The Light is Jesus, our hope of salvation. Jesus is the Light the world needs. Jesus told us to let our light shine in darkness. Jesus taught us to

  • love instead of hate
  • forgive instead of retaliate
  • give instead of take
  • share instead of selfishness

Paul says the following at a time he has been beaten and thrown in prison. It was a dark time. II Corinthians 4:5-7

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I don’t understand the darkness, but I do know the Light. In this time of darkness, I MUST let my light shine. I will keep my eyes on Jesus. Jesus is the Light, the hope of the world.

The darker this world gets, the brighter the LIGHT will shine.

Arise, let our Light shine!