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Barack Obama: Our president
Published Friday, January 9, 2009
Barack Obama is our President, and I am glad he is. It so happens that I voted for the war hero and experienced senator, but I believe God’s will was done in the election. Why? My church began each morning worship for about three months before the election with a public prayer focus on our nation and the election. My wife and I prayed for God’s will to be done. God is on the throne. God is sovereign. He removes one and exalts another.
I reserve the right to do my own thinking, filtered by the truth of scripture and not controlled by a political party, prejudice, race, half-truths, polls or majority or popular thinking. I choose not to allow myself to be blind to the positive qualities in a person because I discern some negatives with which I strongly disagree. I also choose not to allow myself to be blind to the negative qualities in a person when I see so much that is overwhelmingly positive.
In less than two weeks President-elect Obama will be inaugurated as President of the U.S.A. No new president in our nation’s history has ever faced such a long list of weighty and serious challenges. Some of these are: the worst economic depression in more than 70 years; an increasing and alarming jobless rate; health care out of reach for millions; our own wars relating to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan; Israel’s war with Hamas and all Islamic nations; the task of rebuilding cooperation and trust with our allies; relating to the results of civil wars in African nations; continuing a defense and an offense against the radical Islamic terrorist enemies of our country; relating to China and Russia; the nation’s immigration problems; our nation’s deteriorating infrastructure; and the deterioration of a society with an addiction to all kinds of drugs and sexual immorality. You can easily add to this list of overwhelming challenges.
I have lived long enough to experience the “new beginning” of 13 different new U.S. Presidents. Each one was welcomed with high hopes. But each administration ended with the opposition calling for a new leader “to turn this country around” and “to get this nation moving forward again.”
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, we begin again with hope and desires that this President will be wise, able and successful for the benefit of all the citizens. How can we support and encourage our new President and be true to our nation and to God? I submit five simple and brief suggestions.
First, let us be thankful for positive things about our new President: his brilliant mind; his beautiful family; his Christian profession; his choice of experienced leaders for his cabinet and staff; his calm and thoughtful demeanor; his efforts for unity in diversity; his goal-oriented plans; his self confidence; and his solicitation of differing views. The Bible says, “In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Second, be serious and consistent about your biblical responsibility to pray for our President. The Bible says “first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority, that we may that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior” (See 1 Timothy 2:1-3). Add him to your existing prayer list. If you do not have a prayer list, then begin one today and list our President at the top.
Third, remember that the most patriotic support you can give your nation is to live a righteous life. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” God promised to spare the wicked area of Sodom and Gomorrah if He could find only 10 righteous persons (Genesis 18:32).
Fourth, use your priceless freedom to worship and to witness as a means to improve your relationship with God and to enlarge the Kingdom of God in our democratic society. “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves with God’s people” (Hebrews 10:25). Jesus said, “You shall be my witnesses in your neighborhood and to your acquaintances and to enlarging circles of opportunity” (Acts 1:8 my paraphrase).
Fifth, understand that it is not the responsibility of the President or the government but of the Church and saved church members to be “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth.” We dare not blame national nor state leadership for the predicament of our society when God has provided for us freedom for worship, witness and Christian education. Let us believe God for the church’s greatest spiritual awakening as a part of the “change” and “hope.” The church must believe that with God’s help, “Yes, we can and we will!” (See 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Philippians 4:13).
– Charles Christmas is a religion columnist for The Clanton Advertiser. His column appears each Saturday.
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Comments
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 9, 2009 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, since you prayed that God's will be done, you think that in fact God's will WAS done? Since you voted for McCain and you have determined that it was God's will for Obama to win, did you vote against God's will? I don't presume to speak for God, but I think he just allows fools to be foolish sometimes, but time will tell. I'm going for a powder, I got a headache reading that.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on January 9, 2009 at 10:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very nice article Sir ... thank you.
Posted by Mparker (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 2:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you very much for this editorial.
I cannot say that I agree with you in that Israel is at war with all Islamic nations.
However, that was great, and thank you.
Posted by mswhite (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bro. Christmas I totally agree with you..I as well didn't vote for Obama..but my Bible (God's Word) tells me to pray for the leaders of this country..The people that don't agree with what you said, they need to read their Bible...I believe it is the people who don't know God's word and live by it that put Obama in office to begin with and now we all have to live with and pray that he follows the will of God..
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought that the writer established for you that it WAS the will of God that was done with the election. I would have thought that a preacher would be more in tune with the will of God and not have voted for the person that God didn't want as president. To suggest that to disagree with the writer means that that person doesn't read his Bible is ridiculous. You can pray for Obama if you want to but you really ought to be praying that republicans return to their conservative fundamentals, in my opinion, and take this country back at the next election, if it's not already too late by then. Or you can do as the writer does and swoon to the point of being light-headed at the fact that Obama was elected.
Posted by mswhite (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 7:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, November162000, you should have been praying that the republican returned to the office of President this year and we wouldn't be in this situation...Bro. Christmas is not being light-headed at the fact that Obama was elected, he is just stating that he is in office now so it is up to the Christian people to pray for him...He is in office now there is nothing you can do about it, unless you plan on ousting him out...So why not be praying for him and the leaders of this country..What harm does it do? Prayer never hurts anything...
Posted by Law_35 (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very nice article. Even though the writer didn't vote for President Elect Obama, he recognizes the fact that he is the man the majority of the people chose to try to fix the mess the current administration has gotten us ALL into. The fact that some posters can use their Christian religion to be hateful absolutely amuses me. That has been going on for awhile now and Americans are tired of it. God is loving not hateful. Obama was elected because he was the best candidate and had better ideas and people were tired of the foolishness that went on for the past 8 yrs. Take the country back? The Republicans had it, ruined it, are laughing at you because they got theirs and you didn't. Bush and Cheney aren't hurting for money, nor are any of their cronies. It's now time for intelligent thought, real ideas, and comprehensive solutions for all not some. What I'll do, is pray for my President and his picks and for the hateful ugly people portraying themselves as Christians.
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 9:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I WAS praying that the republican nominee would win, but apparently he wasn't taking requests that week. According to the writer, it was God's will that Obama win instead. So, like the writer, I voted for and prayed for, the one that it was against God's will to win. Are you insinuating that it's MY fault that McCain didn't win? That's about as ridiculous as I think parts of the article were.
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 9:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Law 35: I never made any mention as to whether I'm Christian, Jewish, or muslim. Careful with those assumptions. Where are you getting this "hateful" business? If you had been paying attention, you would know that I agree that republicans squandered their opportunity to lead this nation in the right direction. Instead, they became more democrat than the democrats themselves and not walked, but RAN from traditional republican fundamental values, and thus the deserved whipping that occured in November. As for Bush and Cheney not hurting for money, I have no idea why that's relevent to this conversation but I don't think anyone in the Obama administration, to include Obama and Biden, are hurting for money either. While you're doing all that praying, pray that you'll become less judgemental of people based on nothing more than an opinion that you read in a newspaper comment section. That'll give you something to do at Sunday School in the morning.
Posted by etchandler (anonymous) on January 10, 2009 at 10:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Christmas ~
As a former resident of Chilton County, and someone who grew up in the Baptist church listening to many preachers preach bigoted sermons, I'm refreshed by your words. I, unlike you, voted for president elect Obama and was appalled by Christian (read: Southern Baptist) reactions to his election. I especially agree with your fifth point; Christians have lost all concept of accountability. Instead they choose to point fingers. However, let us also remember the implications of your final paragraph. The nation was created with a separation of church and state, and it shall remain that way. However, we must not believe that president elect Obama is not part of the church. We should hold him accountable but not judge his religious standing when he professes his Christianity.
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 11, 2009 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Steven: I'm not a republican. And my comments weren't really politically motivated. Like you, I like to stirr the pot. When I read someone, whether he's a preacher or a politician or just Joe Blow, say or write something that I believe to be ridiculous I'll point it out. It doesn't mean that I'm right, but I wouldn't write it if I thought I was wrong. (Well, sometimes I would, just to stirr the pot.) When I hear someone say, in reference to something that makes no sense to them or that they don't understand that "It was God's will" I always raise an eyebrow. I would call that presumptuous at best, superstitious at worst. But, that's just an opinion, not a judgement. Steven, I predict that before this thread is finished, I will have been called more names and had more pointed barbs thrown my way by "Christians" than anything you or your fellow sports fans threw at each other in the comments about Auburn and Alabama. Starting just as soon as they get out of Sunday School.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All this talk about God's Will - but you know, it was God's Will that the Babylonians invade Israel, it was God's Will that saw corrupt king after corrupt king and the inevitable demise of Israel as a nation, first with the Babylonians, then with the Syrians, Assyrians, and the Romans. So before we go assuming God's Will by default equates to good times and peaceful living let's consider the fact that God can send judgment just as easily as He can send blessing. Now before I get jumped on for stating that God is punishing America via Barrack Obama let me be clear that I spend every day of my life trying to discern God's Will for my own life so I am no prognosticator of the future or purveyor of judgment and blessing for our nation.
And this whole, stirring the pot thing, just ridiculous. It's a cheap fall back ploy. If you don't believe what you post then don't bother posting it. It's also very posh to claim you've been flamed or bashed relentlessly. Here's another one - claim you get death threats and hate mail! Give me a break!
Posted by Lilin31 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW after reading all that including the article, I see there is still fighting going on amongst ourselves. When will the country come together and move on past everything?
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know, I'm inclined to agree but frankly after 8 years of watching the media dump on a president I never really liked to begin with; watching both the news media and the Democratic party (and all its minions in Hollywood) say some of the most hateful, despicable things I've ever heard about a president (most of wildly untrue), I'm just not in the mood to listen to the media now tell me that all is well and we need to come together as a nation. The democratic party has lost all credibility with me and frankly, the whole two party system is a sham.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can honestly say I've never gotten a death threat (not yet anyway) and if I've ever gotten any hate mail I don't remember it. I've been in and out of blogs and forums for years - find it funny that people, when they post something that gets flamed beyond all reason, say all they were doing was trying to mix things up or stir the pot or liven the debate. If you believe it, stand by it and be proud you said it. If not, why bother us with it?
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 12, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
REK1138: I stand by everything I wrote here. Every single word. As I stated, my comments weren't really intended to be political. I just questioned how someone could say that they were GLAD that they voted for someone that they believed to be against the "will of God" to win the election. I, like the Reverend, voted for Sen. McCain, but I'm certainly NOT glad that Obama won. Like the Rev., I do pray for my nation and it's leaders, but I'm not going to say that I'm glad that Obama won. It may turn out that he will be the best president in history, time will tell, but I doubt it. And, if I turn out to be wrong, I am man enough to admit. And, until and unless I am banned from these posts, I will stir the pot (or just give my opinion) whenever I feel like it. As far as I know I have never been threatened in any way here, I don't know where you got that from, but I'm certainly not afraid of it. I don't get intimidated easily, so flame or bash away, I assure you I can handle it.
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like the idea of "pay to play" on this comment forum. If done correctly the Advertiser would be absolved of legal responsibility and a little more expressive ability would be permitted. If you don't like what folks say, or the way they say it, then just don't pay to get in. Or get in there and mix it up. That way it would help the Advertiser pay for this service that I'm sure costs plenty, and maybe we could get rid of those pesky pop up advertisements from Circuit City that are irritating.
Posted by reneenickolson (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well I hope they don't decide to charge, cause all has not been healed in my neck of the woods by our new president. I love reading all the comments good, bad are ulgy. I never had my mind so stimulated, not even in the 12 years I spent in school. I actually think this could have mental and medical benefits, fighting sinility.
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