Reflections on our Responsibility

Reflections on our Responsibility


I went to bed Tuesday before I knew the official outcome of the election, but in my heart, I knew that Senator McCain had been unsuccessful in his attempt to become president. As soon as I awoke on Wednesday, I heard the official news that Mr. Obama had won and my immediate reaction was “Lord, this is your plan, and now we know it.” The thoughts that flooded my mind were from an old hymn based on Lamentations 3:21-26, I’m sure it has comforted you in similar situations.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Yes, Our God is a faithful God and when we face times of uncertainty, His faithfulness is a constant that we can put our hope and trust in. As I went through the day I realized that I really wasn’t depressed like I thought I would be and I was reminded of the story of King David in 2 Samuel 12. The chapter begins with Nathan’s rebuke of David over his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. David admits to his sin but Nathan tells him that his son is going to die.

2 Samuel 12:15-23: After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate." David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead." Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David fasted and prayed until God took his son, hoping that God would show mercy and not take his son. Once his son died, he accepted God’s plan and continued on accepting it as God’s will for his life.


While the election process was going on, it was our responsibility to be informed and support the candidate that we felt most closely aligned themselves to the morals and values we embrace as believers—life, marriage, important family issues, our freedom of worship, etc. Up until the results were in, we did not know God’s plan for this nation and many of us even prayed that God would show mercy and postpone His judgment. Once the results came in, we knew His plan and that changes the way we approach it. Now we know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that President elect Obama is part of God’s plan for us now. Now we can pray for Mr. Obama, yes, I think we should pray for change—the ultimate change to occur in his heart. We should also pray that he makes wise choices as he chooses his cabinet and other critical members of his leadership team. We can pray for wisdom and discernment as he meets with the various world leaders—friend and foe. But we can also rest knowing that our hope is not in a man, but in a faithful, merciful, compassionate God and even though judgment may be coming, we know He wins—truth triumphs and justice will reign.