I REMEMBER BEING DEEPLY FRUSTRATED
FOLLOWING THE 1988 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
MY FRUSTRATION, HOWEVER, WAS NOT ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE VOTING.
THE CAMPAIGN LEADING UP TO THAT ELECTION HAD BEEN,
TO THAT POINT,
ONE OF THE NASTIEST AND UGLIEST I HAD EVER WITNESSED
AND I WONDERED: HOW COULD WE EVER COME BACK TOGETHER
AS A COUNTRY AFTER SUCH A DIVISIVE CAMPAIGN?
IN HIS VICTORY SPEECH, I REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
"A CAMPAIGN IS A DISAGREEMENT, BUT AN ELECTION IS A DECISION.
"THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. NOW IT IS TIME
"TO COME TOGETHER AND IMPLEMENT THE DECISION."
HOWEVER, THE ENSUING THREE DECADES OF DEEP FRACTURES
IN OUR CULTURE PROVIDE US WITH PROOF POSITIVE
THAT IT JUST ISN'T THAT SIMPLE.
THE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES AT THE HEART OF THOSE FRACTURES
ARE REAL, AND THEY CREATE A GAP THAT IS NOT EASILY BRIDGED.
AND SO TODAY, MANY PEOPLE ARE CELEBRATING A POLITICAL VICTORY,
WHILE OTHERS ARE GRIEVING A LOSS
THAT IMPACTS VALUES THAT THEY HOLD DEARLY.
BUT LOVE IT OR HATE IT, THE DECISION'S BEEN MADE,
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.
WE FILMED THIS VIDEO WEEKS BEFORE THE ACTUAL ELECTION.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHO WON!
BUT I HOPE THAT ON THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION
PRESENT-DAY ME RESPONDS TO WHATEVER THE RESULTS WERE
AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST JESUS.
AND I HOPE I CAN REMEMBER TWO REALLY IMPORTANT TRUTHS.
FIRST, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU OR I MAY THINK
OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE ELECTION, FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
ARE CALLED TO PRAY FOR GOVERNMENT LEADERS
AND FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY CALLED TO AGREE WITH THEM
OR THEIR EVERY DECISION.
WE'RE NOT CALLED TO SAY THAT WE LIKE EVERYTHING THEY DO OR SAY.
WE'RE CHALLENGED TO PRAY FOR THEM, NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT
THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON THE NATION'S CHALLENGES
MAY BE FROM OURS.
WE PRAY.
SECOND, WE MUST REMIND OURSELVES
THAT OUR HOPE IS NOT ROOTED IN GOVERNMENT,
REGARDLESS OF WHICH PARTY IS IN POWER AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
THE PSALMIST WROTE, "SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS AND SOME IN HORSES,
"BUT WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD."
IN AN AGE WHEN MILITARY MIGHT
WAS VIEWED AS THE ROOT OF SECURITY,
DAVID, HIMSELF ANOINTED BY GOD
TO WEAR THE MANTLE OF HUMAN AUTHORITY,
REMINDS US THAT OUR HOPES AND SECURITY
ARE ROOTED IN THE LIVING GOD.
NOT WASHINGTON.
NOT POLITICAL PARTIES.
CERTAINLY NOT IN ELECTION OUTCOMES.
IN AN AGE OF ONGOING DISCORD
AND RELENTLESS POLITICAL POLARIZATION,
WE WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER THE CALL OF THE SCRIPTURES:
"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."
SAFE IN HIS HANDS,
WE CAN DISCOVER THE SECURITY WE LONG FOR,
THE SECURITY THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND
IN THE GOOD PURPOSES OF THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE
AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
LET'S PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY, CAN WE?
LOVING FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE IN CONTROL,
ESPECIALLY TODAY.
FOR MANY PEOPLE IT MAY FEEL LIKE
LIFE IS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF CONTROL,
AND FOR OTHERS IT MAY FEEL LIKE
THE RIGHT THING WAS ABSOLUTELY ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE ELECTION,
WE PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY, WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER
AS FELLOW CITIZENS.
WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE HAPPY AND THOSE WHO ARE FRUSTRATED,
FOR THOSE WHO ARE FILLED WITH JOY
AND THOSE WHO ARE VERGING ON ANGER.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO LOOK TO YOU FOR OUR SECURITY.
AND WE PRAY FOR OUR NEWLY ELECTED LEADERS,
THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM FROM ON HIGH,
AND THAT YOU WOULD ENABLE THEM TO GUIDE US
TO TRULY BEING A NATION THAT IS ONE.
HELP US TO FIND OUR HOPE, OUR SECURITY,
AND OUR PEACE IN YOU, THE GOD OF OUR HEARTS.
WE PRAY IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.