There is a lot of rhetoric and debating going on. I myself have been very vocal (perhaps too vocal) about one candidate who I strongly believe is bad for our country, and I have watched in disbelief as Christians defend him and support him in spite of what he has stood for and still stands for. There is no way to describe my incredulity without sounding rude, so we will just leave it at that.
I have a candidate who I am most likely to vote for, there are a few I wouldn't have a problem voting for, and some that are "no way Jose'" candidates.
But who does God want me to vote for? I haven't prayed about that. I have prayed that God would put the right man in. I have prayed that God would help get the person I think is best in there. But I haven't prayed for God's direction on who to vote for.
And it is kind of crazy if you think about it..... to pray for the right person to get in that office, yet not consult God's direction. It is similar to going down to the car lot and buying the car you like best, and then pray that God helps you buy the right car. Or.... asking that special someone to marry you, and then asking God to help you get the right spouse. In either situation, you have made up your mind.
This voting thing is similar to that. How can God put the right person in as president if His children don't bother consulting Him on who to vote for? How can He have anything to do with our election, if we make up our minds using everything but Him and His Word to make our decision?
I'm guilty. I admit it. I will most likely vote for Ted Cruz in the primary.
But what if God wants Carly Fiorna in as president? What if He wants Ben Carson, Marco Rubio.... Donald Trump (surely not!).... what if He wants me to not even vote...unlikely, but what if? What if God wants me to vote for Rand Paul, Bush, Chris Christie?
What if God wants me to vote for Hillary Clinton? OK, I'd pull a Gideon and ask for a fleece or two on that one..... but seriously.... what if God's plan is for her to be president? Yes, it would hurt our freedoms. Yes, she would further ruin this country. Her daughter said that her mom would write executive orders to help gay people... which means what she does wouldn't be good for religious freedoms.... but what if that is all part of God's plan?
American Christians are shallow. We worry more about current movies, musicians, our favorite politician, who Blake Shelton is dating, who won an Oscar, who is going to be in the Super Bowl, how church makes us feel, and more. We are self-centered and have made God a part of our lives, and not made Him our life. We think we know what is best for us in regards to marriage, a job, how many kids we have, when to retire, how to spend our money, what house to buy..... and who should be president.
Granted, my one vote isn't going to make a difference..... but what if every person who serves God sought His direction and followed it? What if we ignored who wins or doesn't win the debates, who endorses or doesn't endorse a candidate, ignore what Sean Hannity, the Dixie Chicks, Jerry Falwell jr, James Dobson and everyone else.... and instead went to God?
But Trump is a business man! We need a business man to turn this country around! Cruz has stood up to the establishment and has a great record! Rubio acts and looks presidential and other than immigration, seems solid! We need a woman president, we must elect Hillary or Carly!
But who does God want?
Revival breaks out most often when things are bad. Christianity flourishes best when Christians are persecuted, not when everything is going just peachy. Hillary Clinton will most likely put policies in place to further anti-Christian agendas. She and Donald Trump will most likely put liberal judges on the Supreme Court - not just bashing him, but he has a very liberal pro-choice sister who is a judge - the chances are great. The Supreme Court is even more important than the presidency, but are affected by who is president. If we get a liberal majority on the bench, they could shred our freedoms and rights way beyond people getting sued for not doing something for a gay wedding.
But what if that is God's plan to wake us up, to truly bring America back to God and shake us out of the shallow Christian lives we live?
And no, I am not a defeatist or someone who wants things to get worse so Jesus comes back sooner.
But the more I examine my attitudes, read news stories, see what candidate people are pushing, endorsing, and supporting.... it makes me realize how arrogant we are to think we know who is best for president. I seriously doubt I am the only Christian making up my mind about candidates based on what they say or do, their past, or what others say about them. Who says I am right? Who says you are right?
The biblical account of Israel fascinates me. They went for years with no king, and finally God gave them one to shut them up (basically). They thought that would make them happy and that was what they needed. And so began the cycle. They would have a bad king who would lead them away from God and into idol worship, even sometimes sacrificing their own children. A new king would reign and lead them back to God, only to have another king go back to idol worship. Over and over again, the cycle repeated.
We are in a similar place. The USA has had some decent presidents. We have had some who at least tried to serve God and serve as a godly leader, and we have had some who claimed to serve God yet fought against anything good and right and tried to further causes God calls sin. The Obama administration has tried to further the cause of killing babies, and has done much to further gay "rights". They are responsible for many Christians facing a level of persecution not equal to what Christians in other countries face, but still persecution.
So here we stand on the verge of electing another president. And like Israel, many Americans are looking for a messiah. A lot of Christians want a godly president who will help turn our country back to God. Other Christians want someone who is a good businessman and they say we don't need a pastor as president, but a money person.
The list of things people are concerned about and are looking for in in a president are endless:
Immigration
Gay rights
Abortion
Healthcare
The economy
Religious freedoms
And many more
But what is truly important? What is important to God? I would imagine abortion would be important, to stop the murder of innocent babies. We all think we know what is most important and assume what is most important to Him.
I truly am concerned about the direction of our country, about who we will elect, who could be on the Supreme Court, and how this could all affect our freedoms and rights.
So I have totally let God out of the picture. And most of us have. I am not judging when I say the majority of voting Christians have picked their candidate on everything but God's direction. I have, but am going to start praying about it. No one endorsing and supporting Donald Trump has said "I have prayed and feel God wants me to vote for Trump." No one has said they are voting for Ted Cruz because God impressed them to do so. No one has stepped forward and said they had prayed through on voting for Hillary.
It all comes down to me. I think candidate A will be best. I am concerned about my freedoms and rights. I am concerned how a president will affect my finances. I like this about that candidate and dislike that about that candidate. Could it be we have made even voting a selfish act? Of course we should be concerned about our country and what kind of country our kids will have, but what if God has a plan to bring this country back to Him, what if revival will only come under a candidate we are not planning on voting for?
What if you and I are not supporting God's choice?
I'll admit I have ideas of all Christians voting for the best candidate to protect our freedoms and who is godly... but that is putting my hope in a man. And I admit if God asked me to vote for a pro-abortion candidate, I'd definitely be making sure it was God. Regardless of who becomes president, it is time we Christians started praying and seeking God's will and direction in this coming election. He might want you to vote for the candidate you want.... and maybe not.
I do believe we are so far from God as a country, that only God can bring us back... no man or woman in the presidency, though they could influence and help that move toward God.
Case in point: At a town hall meeting Marco Rubio held recently, an atheist stood up and asked Rubio a question that he answered masterfully and showed he has true depth and a relationship with God. On the other hand, you have Donald Trump saying he doesn't need God's forgiveness because he has never done anything wrong. As a Christian, I am drawn more to Rubio because of his reply; even though he isn't my first choice..... and am alarmed at what Trump said.
But only God knows who should be president. If Christians all ignored what was said in debates, who won or didn't, tuned out people trying to influence us for or against; and sought God's direction. Extreme? Maybe, but it is a heavy thought. As I said, if we are praying for the right person to be president but make up our minds ahead of time all on our own....we may as well not pray about the election at all.
We don't pray enough. We don't pray about enough things nor seek God's direction on enough. Does He care what color of shirt I wear to town? No. Does He care what kind of pillow I have? No. But I do believe He cares about who I vote for, and a lot of other things in life we assume we know best.
Perhaps one way to stop being shallow and self-centered Christians is to seek God's will and direction for more things in our life and stop assuming that we know best. Voting would be a great start.
Now in closing, I really don't think God would ever ask us to vote for a godless politician, one who supports abortion, or other sins......but it is possible that He would direct us to vote for someone different than we are planning on by our own decision making.
Who will be the GOP candidate for 2016? No one knows, except God. Predictions are made, people seem to have a psychic ability to say who can and cannot beat Hillary.... if she is even the Democratic candidate.
I have always tried to vote for the candidate who comes as close to Biblical values as possible...... and the last couple of elections, that wasn't very close. This election, there are a few good choices who do more closely come to Biblical values.... but I truly want God's direction on who to vote for..... if I vote.
It is time we Christians sought God's will on more things in life. Politics is one of those areas.
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