President-elect Barack Obama's convincing victory over John McCain leaves many of us conflicted. Earlier posts make clear my reasons why I could not support the Obama candidacy. However, many of us who have thought much about issues of racial reconciliation have a part of us that rejoices in the fact that an African American was nominated by a major party and elected by a clear majority of our citizens.
I find myself disappointed in the results because of the positions that Senator Obama has taken in his political career and during this election. But I also believe that any doubt that America is the place, where as he said in his victory speech, anything can happen, including ethnic differences not making a difference in a national election, has been soundly addressed and quieted. It would be naive to say that "racism" does not exist--some of his supporters freely admitted that Senator Obama received their votes because of his skin color, and there were, undoubtedly, some who voted for Senator McCain because of the color of his opponent. Yet Americans have demonstrated to the world (again) that those who belong to minorities can and do achieve greatness in this diverse republic.
The new president will be my president. I will oppose his policies when they conflict with God's Word or when, applying what wisdom I have, I conclude that he is wrong. However, I will pray fervently for him, specifically the following:
- I pray for God to open his eyes and heart to His truth, and that he will receive the grace of hearing and obeying the Word of God.
- I pray that, as a professing follower of Jesus, he will seek to conform his life to the pattern given to us by the Lord Jesus.
- I pray that God will grant him wisdom to lead our nation.
- I pray for his personal protection and for that of his family.
- I pray for a profound change of heart regarding the sanctity of the lives of the unborn.
I encourage all who love the Lord and seek the mercy of God for our nation to do the same.
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