Election Day
11/04/2008 07:29 Filed in: Politics | Faith & Reason
A couple of months ago, I wrote about the fact that I was undecided as to who I was going to vote for. Well, I’ve made up my mind.
No, I’m not going to tell you who that candidate is. Such things are strictly between me and my hanging chad.
However, I do want to make two suggestions. First, if you don’t vote today, you are squandering a very real privilege you possess to have a say in who your governing officials are. Most people in our world today still do not have this privilege and almost no one in history did. Not voting doesn’t mean that you have less right to voice your opinion later (that’s the beauty of the system in which we live), but I, for one, will not listen to you as closely.
Second, regardless of whether the candidate you vote for wins or loses today, I would ask that for those of you who consider yourselves Christians commit to regular prayer for the victor. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that?” (Matt 5:47, CEV). By extension of principle, if you only pray for the president if you voted for him, what is so great about that?”
In the first century, the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to pray for their rulers so that they might live in peace. This was in a world in which they had no say over their government. We have been given so much more. Should we therefore, not also pray for them even more?
“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.” (1 Tim 2:1-2, The Message)
No, I’m not going to tell you who that candidate is. Such things are strictly between me and my hanging chad.
However, I do want to make two suggestions. First, if you don’t vote today, you are squandering a very real privilege you possess to have a say in who your governing officials are. Most people in our world today still do not have this privilege and almost no one in history did. Not voting doesn’t mean that you have less right to voice your opinion later (that’s the beauty of the system in which we live), but I, for one, will not listen to you as closely.
Second, regardless of whether the candidate you vote for wins or loses today, I would ask that for those of you who consider yourselves Christians commit to regular prayer for the victor. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that?” (Matt 5:47, CEV). By extension of principle, if you only pray for the president if you voted for him, what is so great about that?”
In the first century, the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to pray for their rulers so that they might live in peace. This was in a world in which they had no say over their government. We have been given so much more. Should we therefore, not also pray for them even more?
“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.” (1 Tim 2:1-2, The Message)