Election Day

I intend to write more about my trip to India but felt compelled to write a short note about this election day. I was up at 3:30 am praying for our nation on this important day. The interesting thing is Johnny said he was up around 1:00 am doing the same. This is an important day for the future of our country. Of course, I think my candidate is the right one -- you know, the one that agrees with me on moral issues and national security and taxes and the private sector being able to choose their own health care and not have the government messing with that. As I was praying and reading Scripture I was drawn to Joshua 5. Joshua was about to lead the Hebrew people into battle against Jericho when he saw a man standing there with a sword in his hand. Joshua called out, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" Oh yeah, the reply is great! Here it is, "No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord." Joshua fell on his face, he bowed low and asked, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the host of the Lord said, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place hwere you are standing is holy." (from Joshua 5:13-15)

The captain was, in my most humble opinion, a Theophany, an appearance of the preincarnate Christ. Joshua had come face to face with the One in charge. As His answer indicates, He was not necessarily on Joshua's side, but He was on His own side. He is the Sovereign, He is the Creator, He is the Ruler. It is not ours to ask Him to join our side but our job is to join His side.

We can't always see from His perspective. He sees past, present and future equally and we can only see past and present and sometimes our judgment is clouded. Joshua had the right idea, though. He fell on his face in humility. All the prayers offered for this election day should be uttered every single day of our lives. We can't just pray when there's a crisis or a big event. We must continue to pray for our nation and our leaders every single day. (I wrote that for myself every bit as much as I wrote it for you.)

In 2000 you might remember we passed election day and still did not know whom our next president would be. We got all the way to Saturday and still did not know. I was to say a prayer at a women's event at my church that Saturday and the following words tumbled out of my mouth, "We may not know who our next president will be but You are my King." All these years later that is the prayer of my life. No matter what, He is my King.

Serving the King,

Jeanette