I voted today!
I saw that sticker on lots of people yesterday, and I could have worn one myself had anyone been handing them out when I voted. Full disclosure: I would only have taken one to give to my three year old.
Voting is an amazing right and responsibility and it is one of the things that makes this country of ours great. We have the opportunity to elect, for ourselves, people who will govern us. Remember that the alternative is to be forced to obey whomever is in charge. Although it may seem like that sometimes, especially if “our guy” doesn’t win, we really do have a great privilege in being able to choose for ourselves who will govern us.
That is to say I believe our votes count, but I want to challenge you with something that counts more. Voting is not enough. Voting for whomever we think “can win” is not enough. Voting for the lesser of two evils is not enough.
Prayer Changes Things
I want to challenge you to spend the next several weeks and months voting in another way. Vote on your knees. Or in a prayer chair. Or at church. Or with a group of people at your house. Cast a vote with the One who has complete control over our situation.
People often say “prayer changes things” in a kind of fatalistic way. Most people believe it changes only your inner self. They believe it brings you peace and allows you to see things more clearly. While this is true, if that is what you believe prayer is I think you would probably get more out of yoga or meditation.
Prayer is primarily communication directly with God. There really is a God, who really cares about us. He really cares about what we have to say and what we need. He really hears our prayers and He really acts on them. Prayer changes things because there is a very real God who hears and answers. Prayer changes things because God changes things.
The Power of God
God, and God alone, has the power to give our nation better than we deserve. Look at what we are seeing today. America is on the brink of choosing someone who has a long history of lying, cheating and stealing. Someone who would most definitely use the power of the government to better themselves, and I’m not picking sides when I say that.
These elections will be more about God showing America a reflection of where she stands than about electing someone to lead us forward. That is clearly on display already. We are getting exactly what we deserve because we are voting for it.
But we, as Christians, have greater sway. We have great authority in prayer, because we have a God who listens. Think about how Abram was offered the opportunity to intercede for and change God’s mind about His planned destruction of Sodom. Abram didn’t go to Sodom and campaign. He didn’t have a SuperPAC that ran lots of ads trying to convince Sodom to change their ways.
No, Abram knew a God who had total authority over the situation. Abram knew a God who would listen to him and act.
Cast Your Ballot With God
Will you spend the next several months praying over our nation? Will you ask God to give us better than what we deserve? We all know that what we truly deserve right now is not good. I don’t want to settle for that. I want the Lord to give us someone who will turn the nation back to Him.
When you vote, don’t think about coalitions or electability. Vote your conscience and pray that the Lord will give us someone who will lead the nation back to Him. God can sway a national election with the prayers of just a few. God can change the heart of even the worst elected official.
Will you vote this election season? Will you vote with your prayers? Please, for every ballot you cast, will you cast it 100 times more before God?
Please join me in seeking the Lord for our nation, because we desperately need it.
I am a writer, author and purveyor of ink on paper. I also preach, teach and create Excel spreadsheets.