Politics can bring out the worst in anybody.
Let me start by saying that I am not happy about Obama being elected President. Not happy at all. But I’ve managed to turn my unhappiness with the election into the same feeling you get right before you sneeze — you know, that resignation that this is simply out of your control and it will happen regardless of your approval, and all protestations to the contrary will matter nary a wit.
And let’s insert the obligatory “Omaba is bad” stuff: He knows nothing about business. He has no real-world experience in anything. His ideas are bad. He supports the killing of infants recently born because, you know, saving their lives would be too much of a burden on a woman who has chosen to kill her child. And he wants to take guns away from law abiding citizens. Check. Check. Check. Yadda yadda.
But here’s the thing: He’s president. I’m not going to act like some pipsqueek liberal holding a sign that says “Bush is not my president.” Because he is.
And you know why?
Because God wants him there.
Chew on that. Chew on that real good. (Don’t swallow as you might choke, but chew for a little while.)
It doesn’t matter how much you dislike Obama. It doesn’t matter how good your reasons are for disliking him.
Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
There is just no getting around this. Paul lived under a nation that had both just and unjust laws. The sins of the leadership of the United States aren’t any worse than those of the Roman government. And yet Paul didn’t dwell on his government. He didn’t intermingle the Gospel with warnings about Caesar. Even when Paul was accused of crimes that would have resulted in his execution, he didn’t set out on a campaign of reform against his government.
Now back to the first thing I said: Politics can bring out the worst in anybody. I have heard people say the worst of curses against their new President. And it bugs me. Here’s why:
1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Here Paul tells us what our attitude about our leaders must be. We are to pray for them and even give thanks for them.
Ouch. That’s hard. I think living up to Old Testament standards might even be easier than giving thanks for Obama.
But there it is, nonetheless. And Paul told us why. “That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” This is God’s will for us. This is what we should be striving for — not to get ABC, NBC, or CBS to air the right news. But to live a peacable life. And there is a flip side. Ignoring this exhortation means getting the opposite of “peaceable life.”
Yes, it’s nice to be right. Of course Obama is going to be one of the worst presidents this country has ever had. And, no, of course you don’t have to be happy about it. And in four years, you will get to vote against him again. Maybe in four years enough of the people in the country will see what’s right to prevent his re-election.
What do we do in the meantime?
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
Notice the key here: mourn. No rebellion, no railing. Mourning.
I’m thankful I live in a country where I have freedom of speech and can blog about things that interest me, like economics and the insanity of environmentalism. I am thankful I get a “say” in who my governors are. But in the end I know that nothing I do is going to change the fact that it is going to take Christ returning and establishing his own rule in Earth for anything to get better.
So I’ll deal with the fact that Obama is president.
I hope you will, too.
I agree with you, many people say that oh my gosh Obama is president, America’s going to die. I voted for McCain, and as you said, if God wants it this way, don’t bother to try changing it.
Thanks, Brandon. This is Biblical thinking. I like the part about “quiet and peaceable life in all godliness”. It’s hard to be quiet and peaceable when you’re wringing your hands over something of huge *possibility* which you can do *nothing* about. Our church in Grant all agreed during Clintons’ era that hashing over his mistakes and evil deeds was ruining our fellowship. We agreed to a “church rule” that we wouldn’t talk about Clintons at church gatherings. Not surprisingly, we had a lot more peace after that.
Do you mind if I post this item on my facebook, giving you credit, of course? I know some people who need to read it. :-)
Hope all is well with your family. We haven’t heard from you in ages. (I put my maiden name in parenthases so you’d know who I was.)
Great Biblical post. I knew a family that made up this name-calling song about the Clintons and they even taught it to their children. It might have been funny, but that is not what the Bible says we are to do! We are supposed to pray for them. What can you do when you know that God put them in that position of authority? Obama might think he is responsible for making it to the presidency, but he’s not!
If God wants him there and put him in that position of authority, but bother voting in the first place?
again i am very impressed with the calibor of bloggers that come to this site. I take a lot of flack for voting for McCain simply bc the statistics say that i shoulg have voted for obama. However, if you call your self a christian and live the way the abortions along should be enough to turn your nose. Us as christians should not want to be right about our (the countries) impending future. We should WANT to be wrong. I don’t know what to say about a person who rejoices at another person mis fortune. Those who voted for obama was either swept up in the fact that he was black or wanted change by any means necessary. Although, as a black woman with 2 sons and 3 daughters nothing delights me more than to have my son see someone who looks like him..how ever it aches my heart to see some of the things that has already been done and know whats coming next.
Brandon,
I would like to address the “Because God wants him there” position.
Here is my understanding: Once elected, we are to fully support him in what is godly.
Did God want Israel to have a king? And was David a man after His own heart?
God gives a nation what a nation asks and then He demands obedience to authority and the rule of law. Does God want an ungodly man rule a nation?
Did God want Stalin? Did God want Hitler?
Or is God in control? Praise Him, He is always in control.
And then, living under communism, and having my parents interrogated by the secret service, and seeing family friends go to jail for years, what should I do? Obey the government and turn my brothers?
And should lying be the prerogative of the government simply because God instituted governments?
Obedience is deeply seated in a Christian’s heart. A rebellious spirit toward the government is rebellion against God’s order. Yet we must be truthful at all times speaking it in a gentle spirit if we have it.
It was my problem to get angry at government yet I repented. This anger was not from God. Now, I even avoid talking bad about the government in front of my children so that I don’t teach them disobedience against God’s order.
We are to pray for Obama and our leadership, yet woe unto us for our collective choice. The evils that our government is mounting to the day of reckoning are awesome. And nations are judged here on earth, they are not eternal.
Yet our hope is in a Prince of Peace and a God of grace, keeping our hearts alive by His word.
Very insightful read, including all the responses.
God is Lord of all!!
This made me sad. I suppose the American Revolution was ungodly then. As was the Texas Revolution. And the Reformation. And those sinful jews that did not go quietly into the camps. And every man who has stood up to evil rulers in the name of riteousness.
God’s law is Higher than man’s. Higher even than kings, despots, tyrants, and yes, even presidents.
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/07/chuck-baldwin-romans-chapter-13-revisited/