The Good Way

Last week I picked up the “Who & What of Elections” guide from the library.  I wanted to begin becoming informed as a voter about the candidates and the issues that I will be asked to vote on in a few weeks. 

As I began reading the guide over breakfast, I was disappointed to discover there was not much helpful information for me about the candidates.  Whether it was the questions that were asked or the political responses that were a lot of fluff with little substance I found myself thinking that I needed more information.  I do plan to seek that out in the next few weeks. 

However, it leaves me wondering.  What is a person to do when they try to become informed and feel like they still do not have a good grasp of who they are voting for or what they are voting about?  How do we wade through all the campaign advertisements—negative or positive?  How do we see through the colored lenses of these things clearly?

Yesterday, I was finishing up the book Prayer: Finding the Hearts True Home by Richard Foster when I came across some words that resonated with me.

“We must turn a deaf ear to media caricatures and prayerfully discern the way of Christ amid the complex issues of our day.”

There are so many complex issues in the midst of this election cycle. 

In the midst of this, I do not believe there is one party or one candidate that represents the way of Christ in all of them. 

This makes me pause and consider each issue and each candidate with fresh eyes.  It makes me come to God in prayer. 

When I hear people firing off statistics and arguing in the middle of debates and advertisements, I am challenged to seek out more information and to not just go with what my emotions are telling me.  I am challenged to prayerfully consider what I find.

I am finding that I am trying to prayerfully listen and consider issues, leaving the way that our culture and the different media sources would like to shape the arguments behind. 

How might politics be different in our country if we operated in this way?  How might the way we engage in politics, in our own life, be different if we operated in this way?

“This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”   Jeremiah 6:16

As it gets closer to Election Day, I challenge you to keep this in mind as you consider how you will vote.

Let’s move into this election prayerfully.

And whatever happens in the midst of them, may we lift up our country in the weeks and months and years to come, confident that God listens to the prayers of His people and works in the midst of them to bring change.

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Grace and peace be ours in abundance as we submit our beliefs to the God that asks us to put our trust in Him.

Jessica :)

P.S.  Thank you to Jason for this wonderful photo from when we were at the USS Constitution awhile back :)