By Ryan Bush
Christian resolve is, generally speaking, quite low at the moment.
So let's recall the recent unpleasantness that has saddened and
confused the hearts and minds of millions of believers throughout the
entire world and inject a sense of purpose back into the arena of
Christian life. As born-again believers in Christ, we all know there's
no real sense in running from our problems, right? And there's even less sense in letting a cloud of uncertainty fester and poison your outlook and weaken your faith.
With that said, let's get right to it. Barack Obama over Mitt Romney
for the American Presidency: It's been on the lips of nearly every
cognitive Christian for 36 hours running, and from it has sprung forth a
well of deep-rooted emotion, ranging from frustration, to disbelief, to
shock and to anger. And along with this, has surfaced a theme of what
many on the outside looking in might consider to be supernatural
occurrence. Yes, Christian America has spent the last day-and-a-half
apologizing for "being so wrong" about the 2012 election. No, it wasn't
Romney, but rather Obama.
For the onlooking secular crowd and the
many young believers caught in the middle, these outpouring apologies
from members of a religious sect that is widely viewed as a "dogmatic
and thoroughly proud people" may overwhelm them with their humbleness
and honesty. A Christian apologizing? A Christian admitting he was
wrong? Can it be true?
Yes, it certainly is true, but as
ambassadors of the risen Christ who rules at this moment from his
heavenly throne, we need to address much more than just the shocking
outcome on Tuesday. For a testimony to the world, as well as for the
good of ourselves.
Whether you are a believer or not, please read and consider: What message does it send to the world when our prayers
for the election of Mitt Romney, that we loudly prophesied to be
according to Faith, ultimately wind up all for naught? What are they
supposed to think after being told that Mitt Romney was "God's choice
for President" that a re-elected Obama is actually "part of God's Plan?"
What happened to Romney in His plan? What happened to the saving grace
that the Lord was about to bestow upon this nation that hundreds, if not
thousands, of this nation's spiritual leaders promised us so
confidently?
And how, after saying for so long that there was no
way that a Christian could vote for Obama and all of his ultra-liberal
views, can you reconcile that with the latest conclusion that God was in
Obama's corner the entire way? Are you suggesting that God condones
mass abortion, and a homosexual lifestyle and a communist governmental
system that taxes the leather off of everyone's wallet? First God was a
Being that never condones evil, now He's supposed to be all for it?
Does this make God out to be a liar? Wasn't God supposed to stand
with the lesser (that being Romney) of the two obviously liberal
candidates? Does this mean that God is a liberal Himself?
And what
of Romney's political campaign that so many Christians supported in a
variety of different ways, and went on Christian talk-radio to promote
Romney's cause, all in the name of Jesus? What of all the Scripture
that was recited to sway voters with? Could all, or some, or the
majority, of these passages from God's Word, be relegated to the status
of misapplied truths in this instance, and pose as nothing more than
outright lies? Have the spiritual leaders in America actually helped
the throngs to live outside of the will of God, rather than directly in
it?
And what is God's will in all of this, anyway? What is this
"Plan" everyone keeps referring to, as if it's some exclusive
club-members-only secret? A couple days ago, He was supposedly giving
back America to the Christians, now some are being led to believe that
we are in "exile", much like the Israelites were in the book of
Jeremiah. Which one is true, if any?..............
You see,
there's more here than just a little "oh, I was so wrong" moment can
reconcile. You can't just shake your head and walk on, assuring
everyone watching that "God's in control. This is all just a part of
His plan." This isn't the time to save face. There has been damage
done. There have been promises made, that have gone unfulfilled. There
have been promises believed, that will never be realized. In
retrospect, there have been lies spoken, and lies believed by a whole
host of people that claimed to be walking hand-in-hand with the Lord.
It doesn't take much of an examination to discover that such was hardly
the case at all.
Yes, this election has been another disaster for
the Christian world at-large. They not only have misrepresented the God
of heaven and earth, but have helped make the very idea of their
actually being a Supreme Being a joke to so many unbelievers watching
from a distance. We have left some of them in a state of confusion,
rather than conviction and faith.
The psalmist said "Teach me your
way, oh Lord, that I may walk in your truths. Give me an undivided
heart that I may fear your name."
Christians need to allow the Lord
to teach them His way, and the only way is to go back to the Bible where
all His Truth is written down. John 1 says, "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
They need to
seek the wisdom and understanding for discernment, rather than simply
accepting whatever is offered to us. I John 4 offers an explicit
warning to all believers: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone
out into the world."
Who can argue with that last verse? The evidence for it is all around us. As is the Truth and wisdom of God Himself.
And if God's Truth doesn't provide a sense of purpose and direction and
protection and joy within your heart, nothing on this earth ever will.
