If you click on the politics label on the sidebar you will quickly learn that we were not rooting for the Obama/Biden ticket.
We were interceding a lot pre-election. We went to TheCall and I realized that it went even deeper than I thought as I began to wail. I am just recently starting to learn that I am an intercessor. But, the gift never manifested the way it seems to have for others. Yet, I seem to bodily and emotionally carry burdens for others.
The day before the election a heaviness came on me. The spiritual atmosphere around here was not defeated, but definitely not joyous. The morning of the election I took Meg and Israel with me to the polls and let them vote (we had prefilled out the sample ballot for them to follow).
We came home and worshiped and prayed and soaked in God's presence. The kids begged to stay up late to see election results--particularly Prop. 8 (defining marriage as between one man and one woman), Prop. 4 (parental notification before a minor has an abortion), and the presidential race. Meg had a slight interest in Prop. 11 because she remembered from her tour of the Republican Headquarters that gerrymandering seemed so unfair.
We sent them to bed, but they kept poking their heads out. When it was announced that Obama had won, Meg and Israel's eyes swelled with tears. They said, "What about the babies?! Why don't people think that is the most important thing?" These days their political conversations go more like, "We really need to pray for God to change Obama's heart and make it really a Christian." Israel also now says things like, "Even when I was hoping Palin would win, I knew somehow that Obama would win."
Their innocence is so beautiful and refreshing. The issues are very clear for them.
And in the days post-election I've had several conversations with fellow-believers who did not feel the spiritual atmosphere change. They did not grieve the loss of the unborn. They did not feel concern over the possible passing of the FOCA, marriage being redefined, the ban on federally funded embryonic stem cell research being reversed, etc. All they said was how great it was to have a black president and how much hope they had for that elusive change Obama promised.
Their oblivion stood in stark contrast to my children who pray for the unborn almost daily and grieved that America elected an anti-life leader.
It reminded me of Jesus who said, "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.'" (Matthew 11) It's as if Jesus is saying, "What is wrong with you?! Even children know when to dance and when to mourn!" We are so out of touch with the Father's heart. Jesus goes on to say in that same chapter that if Sodom had seen the signs and wonders that this generation has seen it would have repented and remained to this day. That's how bad it is to be so unaware.
Awareness.
That's been the gist of my post-election meditations. How is it that atrocities can be committed all around us and we just continue business as usual? How can we even rejoice that the man we elected happens to be dark-skinned while ignoring his dark heart? (He protected infanticide, people!)
I came across this picture and now can't get it out of my mind. Know what it is? Guess.
Give up? It's the staff at Auschwitz having a great time eating blueberries at an on-site retreat! (You can see the full album here. H/T Jennifer at Conversion Diary.)
Amazing, isn't it? Can't you just hear the heart of Jesus. "Even children know when to lament!"
If I had been a young mom in Germany during WW2 would I just have continued raising my children, tidying my home, going to church and living oblivious to God's broken heart? I hope not. But how would you know? Would it have been too difficult to go against popular thought? Would it have been easier to just pretend that we weren't at war with evil?
My post-election prayer is that I always remain aware and never jaded. God take my heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh, one that feels the pain of others, one that isn't afraid to stand up for righteousness, one that never dances when she should weep, nor weeps when she should dance. Lord, keep me aware. Keep my eyes open. Keep my feet ready for action. I may not be able to prevent every injustice, but Lord, don't let me ever get to the point where I stop protesting against it.
In the days ahead we may find our voices for life muffled by the culture of death. Please don't stop speaking up. Mordecai said to Esther, "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
16 comments:
Thank you, Daja. And ditto.
These are evil days. It seems to me that a great delusion accompanied his rise to power. I'm not saying he's the antichrist, but he certainly seems to be playing for the same team. Regardless, it's God who raises leaders up and brings them down. I believe Obama is God's choice to lead this country at this time. I'm dreading it, but if he brings us hardship and sorrow, then we need hardship and sorrow. Blessed be the name of the Lord. God tells us to pray for our leaders so I've been praying for Obama. Like your kids, I pray that God will change his heart.
what a beautiful post :) I most definitely share your sentiments.
We continue to pray along with your family! Thanks for saying it so well.
Our pastor's wife said there is a plaque in the Holocaust museum that says something like "they came for the catholics, then the jews, then the handicapped. I didn't say anything becuase I was none of those. Then they came for me and there wasn't anyone left to stand up for me."
I feel like that is how it is for the unborn. My children pray for them all the time too!
Sigh.
And in this time, I know we are not alone in praying.
wow what a picture....I am so thankful that I did not have to live through that and pray we will never see that sort of evil again...
Unfortunately, the thing is, that we do see that kind of evil today. 50 million babies have been aborted in the U.S. since the decision in Roe v. Wade--mostly ethnic minorities, many late term, and unfortunately far too many born alive and left to die alone and in pain. If you do some research on Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) you'll find that it was established to aid in ethinic cleansing. She was a believer and teacher of eugenics and socialism (not unlike those at Auschwitz).
Someone said the other day at a homeschool meeting, "It's time to move on...." No, it's only begun, a time to pray and to repent and pray that the Spirit leads the whole church to do so.
My courage is so low and I am so full of fear--I am praying for faith and peace and a spine in the coming days.
RubberChickenGirl
PS That song you had the video clip for--heavy duty!! Never seen anything so intense.
Beautiful post, just perfect.
My two older boys came home from spending the afternoon after church with some friends from church, and 9yo Grant was aghast, "MOM. Cassie voted for Obama, and Kimberlee had an Obama/Biden tee shirt under the hoodie she wore to church. How could they?" He had tears in his eyes.
It was hard to talk about with him - he knew it was time to mourn, but I also knew that as African-Americans, that particular family had reason -- even though I don't feel it was the right reason -- to vote for Obama. I so dearly love that entire family. I have LONG said that I hope my daughters grow up to be just like Cassie... Still, it weighs heavy on my heart that they voted for him.
I am discouraged, but not overwhelmed. When everyone was in tears or nearly so when they found out that Obama won on Wednesday morning, I just let reminded them that it's important for us to pray for our leaders, especially when our leaders are ones with whom we do not agree, and who do or believe unbiblical or unChristlike things...
And, I just hope that people will see that silvery, soaring rhetoric doesn't necessarily equal a president who does the things that you actually agree with... and that the Republicans will start acting like Republicans again, instead of shifting their stances based on polls and what the Democrats are doing, and that in the election two years from now and certainly four years from now, the tide will swing the other way.
God can use ANYTHING. I am constantly amazed at how he uses the very things that the enemy intends to destroy us with, and turn them into things for His own glory and for our own betterment, and to the consternation of the enemy himself. Hopefully, the Church will be mobilized to pray like never before, and we'll yet see the power of God in our land.
You're so right. And I've heard so many people who call themselves Christians say that it's ok to vote for a president who is pro abortion...that it's even ok to be pro abortion and be a Christian. You're right, we have so turned away from Him. These are the pangs. Marana tha!
You made me laugh alright - if I didn't laugh I'd have to cry at such rank ignorance. Didn't make me mad though - you people are all mad, insane, out of your minds. Thankfully it's not catching. I think it's absolutely appalling however that your kids are all het up about abortion - let them be kids, they don't need to worry about that sort of stuff. I pity them, I really do. Dream on deluded ones.
this is so hard for me to read, because i like you as a person... but this is the kind of ignorance i believe breeds hatred and intolerance. i have two questions, one being what did you feel about bush when he was elected? a man who has done a horrible job of taking care of matters at home as well as risking lives of america's men and many innocent iraqis in vein.. yet was 'pro'life? and secondly do you really not understand that your children are not strong people full of conviction when they say these things, they are like you said 'innocent' and their minds are being molded and have been molded only by what you have taught them? if they lived in my home their minds would think something different entirely. you have the right to teach your children as you please, but to act like it is their own conclusions is somewhat delusional and it surprises me you dont seem to see this... and on top of that i would like to say that i think it is very sad that you are teaching your children that anyone has a 'dark' heart... if he has a dark heart surely you do too. you have no idea what this mans heart is, you dont even know him, EVERY single thing you know about him is third party and that is a big leap to take from third party information to judging a man's heart and teaching your children where you believe his heart stands. that to me is something jesus would have cried out in pain for.
So much I could repond to. Some of the things you brought up, Skylana, I've actually been thinking about blogging about. So, check back soon. I am glad you stopped by! I didn't know you read our blog!
I will just say a few things. First of all, I feel that most children left to themselves will be anti-abortion. I think it's that light that God puts in everyone that knows right from wrong. My little neice who is six knew nothing about abortion. Her mother simply told her, "Abortion is when a mommy goes into the doctor to tell him she doesn’t want the baby in her tummy any more.” She said nothing of death, right/wrong, etc. Read my niece's response here: http://joshswifeplus4.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-is-abortion.html
I disagree with you about my children not being strong people full of conviction. I don't think we should wait until people are old and set in their ways and then call that conviction. That's called habit, not conviction. The Bible says that unless we become like little children we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said the kindgdom of heaven belongs to little children. My children (and yours!) have virtues, calling, vision, and insight. They are prophetic and wise. And they teach me more everyday than I will ever teach them. I think our society has it upside down.
You said that my knowledge of Obama is third party. Actually no. Multiple times I have posted about his voting record, his own words, his own speeches, videos, promised, goals, etc. I haven't posted just what others have said about his record. I have posted about his record--in black and white. There is no grey area to speculate that he meant something different. He repeatedly protected infanticide. That is a fact. My interpretation is that that takes a dark heart.
Why would it be sad to teach children that "anyone has a dark heart"? Without Christ, my heart is very dark, very deceitful, full of sin. I fully admit that. I know full well the secret things of my own mind and heart. I need Jesus and His forgiveness and grace. I love it that He healed and is healing me. I love Him more everyday for what He has done in my life. You don't know me without Jesus. But without Christ a person's heart is dark. That's what I'm teaching my children.
The Bible is very clear that the choice before us is life or death. And God practically begs people to CHOOSE LIFE. Sometimes we don't choose life. And that deserves to be grieved over....when I do it, when you do it, when Obama does it, when Bush does it, when anyone does it. For we all have sinned. It's just extra sad for me when innocent babies--born alive from their mother's wombs--have to pay the death penalty for another's sins. It's unjust.
And I have to keep speaking up about it.
this was my first time reading your blog... intense! haha...
it makes sense that children would think that killing a baby is wrong. so would an adult, except that we also understand WAY more about life and bad decisions etc. i think abortion is wrong but first of all i think sometimes a wrong choice leads to a better outcome and coming from a home where there was a mother who never should have been responsible for children its easy for me to see that sometimes the choice to let that baby be with God is better than subjecting them to irresponsible dangerous parenting. and secondly i think its arrogant to expect our country to follow everything you or i personally believe is right or wrong, it is a country made up of so many different opinions and theirs deserve to be heard and respected just as much as yours, and majority has said this is what we want, i think its a bummer for you, but this is what our country has said they wanted and other people have that right. i want there to be things that relate to what i think is right of course in the country i live in, but i can't expect it to cater only to my belief system.... that just doesn't make sense. i also think its very unfair to think you can even put yourself in the position of a woman getting an abortion and say you would do it differently, because you have no idea what their situation is like or that you would honestly act differently whether you believe its right or wrong. this issue frustrates me when talked about with christians because all of a sudden its the most important issue in the world... and it shouldn't be that way, besides that it is NOT changing any time soon if ever and there are much better ways to spend our time and energy and money and prayer than trying to make abortion illegal. if you think its so bad then start a counseling center for women thinking of having one, start a class about what happens during one and what women go through a lot of times after wards... that will make an actual difference. it makes me furious that all people talk about is the 'innocent babies' what about the women? women dont walk around going 'ohhh i'd love to have an abortion!!!' this is a sad, terrible thing they go through...a decision no one wants to have to make. as a christian you should be more worried about them than babies who are instantly with God according to what you believe.
i think kids are strong people, but the conviction they find comes from us and if you dont believe that you are just deceiving yourself, until they break away from their parents and find who they are on their own what we teach them is what they believe... that's our job. if you didn't think that then you wouldn't teach your kids what you believe, it would be pointless, but you see that they take in what you teach them. they believe what you believe.
as far as third party obama, EVERYONE's info about him is third party. you aren't him, you dont even know him and just because you saw how he voted that gives you no right to judge his heart, evidently you feel you have this right for whatever reason... i am offended at the fact that you think that protecting 'infanticide' means you have a dark heart... because i dont believe i have a dark heart, but i would protect the right of women do partake in it. i mean, if you teach your children that everyone has a dark heart then i guess that makes more sense, i just think its weird to point at one man and say because 'he thinks this his heart is dark', hopefully right after you say that you tell them they have dark hearts too. ... i just think its wrong how much you are judging him, you even talk about him becoming a 'real' christian.. i think jesus would be sick at that statement. like you know for one second if he's a christian or not. if he says he is, then all you know is that he is. you are not the judge of the world. you can't see his heart, he could have a thousand times more compassion in his heart than you do, but you have no idea. you are judging him from the outside.... and honestly its weird because if i judged you from the outside i would think the same of you, from what you've written about this subject to me you seem cold and legalistic.... but i wont assume that's who you are, because i dont really know you.
i think its good to speak about the things we believe, to have conviction and want to see justice, but to throw a man under the bus when you dont even know him and teach your children that he is basically evil is the kind of thing that breeds hatred more than love, and something we should be careful about.
i'll probably be done reading this particular blog cause i think we both know where the other stands and hopefully we'll both be able to take something away from this and learn.
First of all, Skylana, do you know what I meant by protecting infanticide? I was not talking about abortion. I was referring to babies born alive from their mothers' wombs that were allowed by law to be left to die in utility room, strangled to death or plunged into buckets of saline or water to silence their cries. This happens in America. Obama voted FOUR TIMES to keep the practice legal. This goes beyond protecting a woman's right to choose. This takes a living, breathing and viable child from outside the womb and KILLS IT. EVERY OTHER DEMOCRAT (Clinton, Biden, Kennedy, Kerry, etc.) voted to stop the practice, despite being pro-choice (because they understood that it's not an abortion issue). Obama is the ONLY ONE who has consistently voted to keep the practice legal. There is loads of documentation and statements from the Obama campaign that confirm this. It's just plain sick.
I have never come out against a candidate (Democrat, Republican or otherwise) as strongly as I have come out against Obama, because no one else has demonstrated this total moral bankruptcy to accept and support and protect the outright killing of children.
Secondly, the majority has never voted to have abortion legal. Roe v. Wade was a flawed legal decision of a few for the masses. It was never put to a vote by the American people. Never mind that Roe did not actually have an abortion nor want one. She was a pawn of the radical abortion lobby who was paid to join the lawsuit. Interesting in fact, that since that historic decision she has become a Christian and a pro-life activist and has tried to overturn that decision.
Abortion and family planning laws should not be decided by the federal government anyway. The federal constitution gives us the protected right to life. Family planning laws should be decided by families, local and state government--not the U.S. Supreme Court.
And thirdly, just so you know, I do post-abortion counselling for women, hold baby showers for Crisis Pregnancy Centers, run a ministry called Mother-To-Mother that provides free prenatal care, vitamins and groceries for needy pregnant women in Mongolia, etc. I do know how to put feet to my faith and put my money where my mouth is. I'm sorry if my being so outspoken against the exploitation of women and children through the international abortion industry infuriates you. But, just so you know--it's not all talk, as you seem to assume, somehow. I know that you don't know me well, but I hope through this you will at least know that there are Christians who are not just talk, but loving-action, too. It's not an "either/or" situtaion for me. It's everything--educating others, political action, taking people into my home, giving my time/money/food/clothes, reaching out internationally to hurting women, teaching single moms how to care for their babies, counselling women post-abortion and on and on.
Just so you know. :-)
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