Wednesday, November 05, 2008

The votes are in...

A member of SIStv posted a link to the following article found here- taken from Relevant Magazine. I couldn't have said it better myself and am duplicating it here for you to read.

America Chooses Obama
By Roxanne Wieman


Well, here we are on the other side. A watershed moment. An historic election. And we, the American people, have made our choice.
Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States, and the nation’s first black president. And in elections across the country, Democrats won their seats in the Senate. When Obama takes office in January, he will do so with a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress.

“The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,” McCain told his supporters in Arizona after the results came in.
But what about you?
Those of you who took our RELEVANT poll yesterday favored McCain: 47 percent of you voted for the Arizona Senator and 33 percent of you for Obama. So, are you disappointed? Will you hang your heads today? Do you fear for our nation’s future? I’m not so sure.
So many of us—members of the widely contested “young evangelical voters”—were divided about this election. Not just as a group, but even in our own hearts. I know which candidate I chose, but it wasn’t an easy decision. And, to be honest, I didn’t really care who won. I agreed with both. I disagreed with both.

What I’m wondering now is where do we go from here?
While the electoral vote and popular vote strongly favored Obama, our country is still largely divided. This was a hard-fought, personal and passionate race. There are wounds on both sides. Can Obama and the Democratic congress heal those wounds? Can we help?

Yes and yes.
Obama ran as a unifier. He condemned our party divisions and championed cooperation across party lines. Many of the Democrats who won seats in the Senate ran with similar platforms. If Obama and the Congress majority maintain that position and “reach across the aisle” in the years to come, that will certainly go a long way in healing our wounds and unifying our country. Karl Rove has already expressed his own wish that the Republicans would do the same, "I hope we will support [Obama] when we agree with him, persuade him when we think his mind is open, and oppose him when we think he is wrong.

"Whether unity happens in Washington or not, the question still returns to us: what can we do to help? As Francis Schaeffer so famously put it, “How shall we then live?” Now that the election is over and Obama and the Democrats have so clearly won, how shall we then live? I believe that we, the young Christian voters, can uniquely answer this question. I believe, in fact, that this is the very question we are so primed to answer. Because this election and its profound life issues has galvanized us to true action.
Yes, we voted. But it’s more than that. Through this election, we’ve become aware of the major social issues of our day. And now we want to do something about them. We recognize an election will not change everything. We do not rest our hopes for change on a political party or candidate. We vote, we hope, but we don’t stop there. Tomorrow and the next day and the next and in January when Obama takes office, we get up and we continue our sojourn to follow Jesus. We live our votes for life, for justice, for peace, for equality.

We comfort our friend who tells us she’s considering abortion. Then we gently tell her why we believe life in the womb is precious. We help her find alternative options … and we stick by her side all through the pregnancy and birth and after. She is not a statistic or a faceless evil to us.

We love beyond racial, gender and sexual lines. We reject stereotypes. We embrace individuals. We work for reconciliation.

We do not talk about “that side of town,” we live there and work there and mentor there. We are a part of educational reform, and ESL, and rehabilitation.

We recycle. We reduce our imprint. We consciously make our purchases, recognizing the global implications. We strive to “live simply that others may simply live” (Ghandi).

We personally pray for our soldiers in Iraq, for the citizens of Iraq, for our leaders who are making tough decisions that affect millions of lives. We really do pray, and we believe our prayers matter.

We continue to work hard in the jobs God has given us, saving our money and stewarding our resources. We tithe. We donate. We volunteer.

We continually challenge each other to deepen our understanding of whole life ethics and Jesus’ call to follow Him.

I believe this is who we are. I believe this is who you are. I believe we can be the change we’ve voted for—no matter who we voted for.

15 comments:

Amanda said...

Hi Jody- Not sure where else to get this to you but I have a prayer request for a blog friend of mine: Angie at Keep Believing (http://aboneill.blogspot.com/). Her husband is losing a battle against cancer and their family (they have two very young boys as well) is in need of a serious prayer movement to cover them right now. Can you please pray with us that she would find peace and comfort in the Lord and have an outpouring of support and love from those around her and in their community?

Thank you! And btw great post on the election results :-) Totally agree.

~Amanda

Laurie and company said...

well written.

Thanks for sharing this, Jody!

God bless you and yours this day!

Laurie

Meredith and Thad said...

Thanks for posting this article about the election. I have been bummed about the election results, but have reminded myself about something my pastor said in the weeks before the election, that no matter the outcome the God we serve and love is the same God today as HE was yesterday and forever, He's unchanging. What a peace!

lori said...

I think before time became our understanding God himself knew Who the 44th president would be. God himself has plans for our nation. He is far above any commander in chief. I am not even a little disappointed in the outcome, I am ready to see a new step in a right direction, to see is we can stretch ourselves to grow in tolerance and in love. To see if when Government passes laws that go against the core of our hearts to see if WE Gods people will step up and be the help that the hurting needs. All the laws in the world that favor our belief will not heal those that are hurting

Anonymous said...

WHAT A FANTASTIC POST...the last few stanzas gave me goose bumps.

Anonymous said...

Love this post and article - it does embody what I have felt about this election and our country today. I hadn't even decided until I filled out the rest of the ballot - all the judges, soil and conservation council members, everything, because there were good point to each candidate. WE need to not leave it at the voting booth, but LIVE our beliefs! THANKS

Anonymous said...

Hi Jody,
I haven't been able to check on you lately. Glad to know you are okay. My 78 year old Mom was sick for 7 weeks and my sister and I tended to her care. God held us close, caught our tears, and strengthened us with His grace for the moments of our days. Mom went Home to be with Him on September 25. Family was with us; old hymmns were sung as we gathered around her bedside in the nursing home. Our pastor prayed with us as he was going to head on home after being with us for an hour and half or so. After he said "Amen" she took 3 or 4 more breaths, smiled, and breathed her last. God is so good!
I must admit I was "down" about the election's outcome. God knows my heart; lying about it would be wrong. Obama is not of my choosing; but I know God has allowed him to be elected. No doubt we will continue to see the glory of our LORD in these next 4 years...our hearts will keep on lifting up to Him requests for His will to be done here as in Heaven. We need Him as always and that's something He loves for us to acknowledge.
I'm thankful my Mom is Home with the Lord now. She was a worrier and she was concerned about the election. She knows what God is working out now... she sees what He is doing and she hears what He is saying. She's at peace...we are too!

I love you, Jody. Your spirit is sweet to Him and to me.

In His Amazing Love and Grace!
Sue in Tennessee
Ahma to Caleb in heaven and 3 on earth

Tricia said...

Hi Jody - I've been reading a while but really, really appreciated this post - you hit the nail right on the head. You should get it published in a newspaper, as it is one of the fairest ways of looking at this election that I have come across in a long time! You are right when you say that we should be compassionate people and supportive of people - it is how we live that makes the difference, not what we preach. Thank you. I love your family - you are truely blessed. I am heartbroken for your pain in the loss of your beautiful little girl, but know that your faith and love inspire me whenever I read here. Enjoy your beautiful new baby. My two are growing up in front of my eyes and I just want to bottle it some days. :) Thanks for your inspiration,
Tricia and Family (N. Virginia)

surfmomma4 said...

Hi, for the first time ever I woke up this morning and prayed for our President elect. I want God to guide him and give him the strenght that he will need for all the challenges our country and our world are faceing. I would hope that everyone would also pray for him, he is going to need it. Have a great day.

Marcie said...

Love Francis Schaeffer and the reminder..."How then shall we live?" I appreciate the article and the reminder. I feel like I've spent a lot of the last 24 hours saying the same thing only not nearly as eloquently. Thanks for that.

Anonymous said...

The election of Barack Obama was his destiny from God. We must always remember God is in control.

Janet said...

WOW! This is a powerful article. I am utterley amazed at how different the views are about Obama and McCain. Coming from SA I haven't taken the time to learn much about the two candidates, and I know a lot of people supported Obama on this side. I think I tend to agree with your views - thank you for sharing this article with us. I found it very interesting.

Sue said...

Jody, I just read Chuck Colson's article on the day after. I think you will appreciate it as well.
Here is the link:
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7474

Ahma Sue in Tennessee

Heather said...

I am an Obama supporter and a lifelong democrat. What I've never understood is why some people (on both sides of the aisle) feel that they must hate and demonize the candidate they are not supporting. Just because I voted for Obama does not mean I hate McCain or Republicans.

pratnashree said...

Hello Jody,
I came by your blog while surfing and have reading it for some time. It is so very beautiful. most often we let the simple things in our daily lives pass by without acknowledging them, yet those are the ones which truly deserve to be cherished.
Just wanted to say another thing...the author of the quote 'We strive to “live simply that others may simply live”' is by Gandhi and not Ghandi :)
Stay beautiful and keep reminding us of all the joy and love that surrounds us.