For What Purpose?

I decided I would add my voice to the many thousands of people that were praying on October 25th, the day that Franklin Graham's Ministry set aside for a day of fasting and prayer. With the elections fast approaching and a country that is severely divided, prayer is absolutely necessary. It's so easy to think that my one little voice doesn't matter or that the fact that I am fasting doesn’t matter, but we are called to do this often. It's a Biblical call. It's not because of my voice. It's because of the great God that I call on.

As I lifted my eyes to heaven and started to ask God to help my party win, I felt a check in my spirit. I then caught myself praying a slightly different prayer than I had started. I caught myself praying that God would help us see that our hope needs to be in Him! Not in our politics. Not in our president. Not in either party. I actually caught myself praying that whichever party would make the biggest spiritual difference would win. Whichever one makes the biggest difference in how fervently we will seek after God.

If one particular side wins, will people on that side heave a sigh of relief because they see that all is good now? Things are now going to be OK? We can sit back in comfort and complacency?

If that's the case, it shows that their confidence has been misplaced. And if that's the case, many will stop seeking after God. Is that what we want?

Or is it so we can have more time to do God's work? Let us pray for good people to take office. But let us also pray that God will open our eyes as never before to our great need of Him.

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

This Bible verse from Chronicles is talking to God's people. Do we, God’s people, need to repent of the sin of putting our trust in people rather than in God? I believe that we do. Even if you as an individual haven’t strayed down this path, I still believe we need to corporately ask God to forgive us.

Please don’t misinterpret what I’m saying. I fully support getting involved and coming alongside people and organizations (and political parties) that work for good, moral, Biblical principles. But I’ve witnessed far too many Christians putting all their hope in people and organizations. Our hope needs to be centered in Christ.

Don’t forget whose Kingdom you belong to. And don't forget that Christ is seated at the right hand of God “in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:20‭-‬21)