Setting Differences Aside

In the past few months, I’ve been studying and visiting various Christian colleges with my daughter, a high school senior. It’s been eye-opening to me to realize how diverse Christian colleges are across our nation. Most, if not all, share our basic beliefs about God as Father, Son and Spirit, and about the profound purpose of Jesus’ life on earth. Yet many differ in the details of our faith. These differences are evident between and within the universities we’ve visited.

It intrigues me that believers can see things so differently. At some schools, the name Christian merely means having similar Sunday morning traditions. At others, it means having similar day-to-day lifestyles. Some focus on the role of the heart in faith, while others focus on the mind. Yet all have missed the boat in my opinion if we leave out the role of body.

Jesus taught us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to worship Him with every part of us, not just our emotions, not just our intellect, but with every aspect of our being, living out our love for Him actively in the context of our given culture and circumstances.

Last time I blogged, I attempted to challenge readers to prayerfully take action in our political process. I charged Christians to live out their love for God by doing something to make a difference. Sadly, I had heard many who said they were not even going to vote, as they did not like either candidate. I hope that you did. Not voting is not acting.

Surely readers of this blog differ in their positions and preferences regarding this past election. Some of my sweetest Christian friends voted for the opposing candidate to the one I was supporting. But we both voted our conscious as we felt led by God. Now the election is over; and as people of God, it is vital that we join together to pray for the one who will be our President.

Regardless of our views on the outcome, it is time to look ahead and look up. Each day is to be treasured and devoted to the will of God. It is His sovereignty that has overseen this election process and approved the result. “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” There are many reasons to rejoice in the outcome, most obviously that our country has overcome a historical barrier of race and heritage.

It is under God’s ultimate authority that Barack Obama will serve our nation as her highest leader. Let us continue to remain diligent in prayer and adopt a renewed attitude of action, so that God’s message of love and reconciliation can be spread throughout the world.