It is finally over. November 4th has finally come and gone. I thought that it would never arrive. Most of us have grown extremely tired of the commercials, infomercials, and political phone calls. It almost seems somewhat anti-climactic. It was amazing just how quickly election night flew by and without a hitch. It was almost boring with no controversy as we’ve experienced in the past. No matter who we voted for it was emotional seeing the huge crowd in Chicago and the people celebrating and realizing the historical fact that we have elected the first ever African American president. I was also impressed by McCain’s concession speech and President Bush’s gracious words today.
The question that I cannot help but ask is, what now? We have heard tons of promises from both candidates. Now what? Will President Elect Obama deliver? Were they sincere promises or empty promises just seeking more votes? Time will tell. I would think that it is much easier being just an armchair President. I’m sure that it is a far more daunting task to be the president of the United States than either of the candidates know. It is definitely one of those things where you cannot appreciate the magnitude of the office until you enter it.
This then leads to a strong conviction that I have as to what our roles as Christians are now that we have elected a new President. Whether we are Republicans, Democrats, Independents, or whatever else it is time to follow the powerful words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” (New Living Translation) It is now our role, as important as voting, to pray and ask God to help all those who have been elected. We are also to give thanks to God for them, whether we think they should be in office or not. We pray in this manner so that we can live peaceful, and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. There is no unanimous way for us to vote as Christians but we are to be unanimous in prayer. This is our high calling and one of the most significant ways that we can influence our society!
