Because He Lives...

For the past 2 years the Coffee Break group I was a part of plodded our way through the Old Testament. I would say excitedly, but really, who gets excited to read about the warfare and the rises and falls and the gory mess that was Israel? It isn't full of good news of peace and great tidings of joy like the gospels. It isn't the Good News we are all eager to hear and share. It's ugly there. And while it can get draining to read Judges, I also found hope there.

Hope that even though Israel, God's CHOSEN people, turned on Him and said His leaders weren't good enough, God delivered them. He gave His people what they wanted, even knowing how much it would hurt them. And it hurt Him. The hope lies in that God never left His people. They left Him. And it wasn't they'd find themselves broken and defeated by the armies of their enemies, poor and weak, that they would turn back to God. And that is where they found peace.

In this election season I have sat back and listened to a lot of ranting and some calm explaining. I don't get very involved. We didn't listen to the ads, rather read the candidate's plans and made our decisions from there. And on this morning post- election Twitter and Facebook are still smoking from the heated arguments and bashing of people we are called to respect and pray for. My group of friends isn't huge and yes, they are all pretty like-minded in politics. But what is most troublesome to me is the amount of worry and lack of hope that I have seen.
I am not here to say that the future doesn't worry me. I would be lying if there weren't moments of feeling sick. But then I was reminded that even IF the other guy won... it would be wrong of me to celebrate and put my hope in him and say "now it's all going to work out." There is a danger at this time of year in putting our faith in one candidate over another.

The danger is in putting our faith in ANY man.
The danger is in resting in one man's promises over another.
The danger is in letting one man determine whether or not my life on this earth is going to be okay.
The danger is in finding peace in an economy.

God's promises are the only ones we can cling to.
God's love for us- He is after all the ONLY one who cares what happens to us.
God's love will get us through anything. If He needs to strip this great America that thinks we are indestructible in order to get us on our knees, then God, whatever it takes.

God is still God. Today and tomorrow and this earth is just a wisp.
So can we put away the negative comments, the bashing of one man or one group? Can we simply pray for all of our leaders? Can we show the people that Christians are here to love, not to tear down. Can we put our faith in Him in action?

1 Samuel 2:2

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.