The prayers of people continue
October 31, 2008 (Friday)
Today is Halloween. Much has been written about its meaning and significance. Some people put much emphasis upon its origins and superstitions and believe participation in its activities in any way is a sin against God. Others think only of “Trick or Treat,” parading in costumes and having fun. I don’t think I am qualified to tell people what to do. It is a matter of conscience. And we should respect each other’s decisions about it. I think I’ll just leave it at that.
After today, as the weekend gets under way, we can look forward to three more days of politics, news about politics, discussions about politics, and the election. As of Thursday, 25% of the electorate had already voted in early voting. There is a great deal of interest in the election this year. I have received a lot of materials about the candidates and the parties, usually in email. It’s good to see such interest in government; it would be even better if we would all check our facts more carefully before sharing them.
Whichever way the election goes, we should prepare ourselves to live with the results. We have had many different kinds of presidents in our nation’s history, and most have been both loved and hated. It is our Christian duty, according to the Scriptures, to pray for the leaders of the nation and for all who are in authority. I trust we are all prepared to do that, no matter who is elected. And please don’t say we already know who the winner will be, because the polls tell us. Polls have been wrong many times. The only poll that counts is the election itself. So, whoever the new leaders turn out to be, it is our Christian responsibility to lift them up in prayer.