Friday, November 11, 2016

An Example Of Hope

I have felt this and wanted to share this after I have had a chance to reflect more. I don't share this to minimize the hurt  or abuse others have experience that I know can't speak to or fully imagine; and its in no way a support Trump whom I have no support for but alas, this has been my heart and I post this as a confused believer hearing from other believers (sorry its long but I wanted to share my heart clearly): 

We say the rhetoric "Jesus is still on the throne" but do we believe it? Do we believe that the authority in play, no matter how just in unjust, has been placed by God? Are we now worse off with Trump or Hillary, depending on which side would be mourning the day after, then the writers of the new testament and those christians who were under Nero as they wrote on how they see government and leaders?

I say this with no judgment but from a sincere place of reflection over the past few days: I don't understand a broken heart of an election of a nation that is not our kingdom (though I can understand hurting for those hurting). Do we believe what God said in his word about leaders? I didn't win in this election but I also don't think I can win in any election. No body was going to expand the kingdom of God by what they did based on anything they said. They have earthy values,  they try to mask them in scripture and religion, yet they are more rooted in great intentions but, at least from what I see, and miss what the "good" is we are called to live from a biblical standpoint and the reason for it. 

To me this is not a political response in what I write here but instead I write as a fellow Christian responding through my lens of faith based on what I see the Bible teaches us about situations just like this. Instead of mourning for the election being lost by the candidate we wanted and had "hope in", why don't we follow the call to weep over our own sins and the sins of our parents, both conservative and liberal, that brought us to this point? That's what the Bible says will bring a nation to a healthy place. Not weeping over the politics, but truly weeping in repentance of our own sin that brought the politics to where they are today. Why don't we have services that pray for spiritual change instead of political change? I honestly feel lost and abandoned in some way myself after the election. Not by the political outcome but by the response of my brothers and sisters in mourning (or celebration) over an earthy kingdom that we have no biblical citizenship to. If scripture is true, God put Trump in place, as he did Obama. There is no mystery to it if God is in control, but there is a mystery to me in why we respond in mourning to the fact our leader of choice lost. How much hope was in Hillary for believers that destained Trump?(How much hope is in Trump for many believers as well that celebrate him?) This is a time for the world to see a church that has hope in something greater then a political leader. Lets us raise our heads high to show our eyes are fixed not on this world but on the greater hope in what he has done and who he is as the creator of it all.

I fear we are loosing an opportunity to show where our hope lies and who we should all be turning to when things go in ways that seem messed up to us, and even hopeless. Here is a response I can say with confidence and authenticity: "I am so sorry you are hurting, I can't imagine the fear you might have now. Can I share with you why I don't have that fear and where I find my confidence in before and after the votes where counted and why I have peace in it all?" - Is this not the message of the gospel we should share and live out in these times? 



Thank you for being willing to read this  and hear from me. God bless!