One Christian's Conscience

    I cannot speak for all people who attach the name "Christian" to their profile, I can only speak for one, me.

   This coming election has had me tied up in knots about how to cast my ballot in this race for President. Even when I went to vote the other day at the Election Commission, I knew how I was going to vote, but I was not altogether comfortable doing it.

   How do you make a choice?

      The Republican was a man who had a grating personality, an attitude of a bully, a life history that included many things that I did not agree with. But, on the other hand, had championed the life of the unborn, had promised and delivered on the whole idea of judicial appointments that would restore constitutional government on the basis of the Constitution, and had rejected the moral claims of the Left on many issues the country is struggling with right now.

      The Democrat was a man who seemed blown about with every wind of outrage coming from the left in his party. Not all the party, but the part that he needed to get the nomination. He evolved from many of the ideas he had sponsored coming up through the ranks. He seemed unprincipled in many of the areas that I held as important. How could I vote for a man, and a party, whose answer to a question about what he would do as president, said "I'll tell you after the election".

   There is always the option of voting for one of the several third-party candidates, but it is a vote that will not count in the election.

   So, what to do?

      Vote for the man whose twitter style is obnoxious to say the least, but who has demonstrated some actions that have done a lot of good in the past 4 years.

      Vote for a man who won't tell the public what kind of president he will be, but wants us to trust him to do the right thing.

      And then I recall the fact that both of these men, flawed as both may be, are not spring chickens. Not as old as the writer of this, but old nevertheless. Who would I like to succeed them in the office if something happened to either? 

      Harris or Pence?

      Mike Pence, hands down. 

   I believe that God does not cede any of His control to any electorate, and that His will will be done in our country. His reasons are unchangeable and His Word is our guide.

   The thoughts of one believer may not be altogether right, but I do believe that ...

   The purpose of The Lord will stand.

Purposes

    In the flower bed, in our side yard, the colors of the summer flowers are nothing but a memory. The ground seemed a little forlorn. Then we noticed some color. A visit to the area revealed some Surprise Lilies, perhaps so named because, when all the summer flowers wither and die, surprise! 

                                                                       Here they come

   When all seems to be turning bleak, these flowers bring back life to the garden and kitchen table.

   Just as a surprise bit of living color reminds us of the truth of our perspective, often we need a different way of analyzing what is going on around us.

   Let me take you on a different path:

   A few months back, an email popped up, unbidden I might add, on my screen. It pointed my attention to a short video entitled World in 3. This was a 3 minute video giving a quick view of world news. 

   I began watching each morning, getting a summary, and then moving on to my day. 

   The narrator always ended the program with these words:

   "Whatever the News, The Purpose of The Lord will Stand"   

   I liked that statement. To me it could be paraphrased:

   'Regardless of how bad the news sounded, behind the headlines there lurked a truth that should not be missed'.

   Father Tim, in the Mitford books by Jan Karon, is reminded by his new wife that he should always pray the prayer that never fails:

   "Thy Will Be Done"

   The ultimate truth of what will happen this day, or any day in the future, is what was, and is, God's Will. In the past, the present, and the future, events have happened, are happening, and will happen as He directs, and as He purposes.

   Psalm 33:10-11 states:

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

   Sometimes I may question the motives and wonder why events occurred, but I should not question the goodness of God's heart. 

   It should be enough to affirm that He is in control of all, and He has the best in mind for those who love Him.

   When I pray "Thy Will Be Done", it isn't, or should not be, with a sense of resignation, but a wanting to be a part of His Plan, of His Will.

   With that, I am acknowledging that His Purposes Will Stand.

   What is my responsibility? 

      Love God with everything

      Love my Neighbor

   Pretty easy to type this out on the computer, but living it?

   The Purpose of the Lord will Stand

   where do you and I?