We’re in the thick of the primaries and one thing’s for sure: We’ve never seen an election like this in our lifetime. Emotions are high and no matter your party affiliation or your candidate of choice, it seems there’s a shared sense that big things are afoot.
We’re also in the midst of lent, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday when Christians around the world have traditionally focused on prayer, repentance, and fasting.
It’s right to be engaged in the political process. Our freedom to do so is a gift and a responsibility. To be sure, a good President would make a world of difference in the coming four years and beyond.
But more than needing one good President, we, the people, need goodness within ourselves.
I don’t mean a “that was good pizza” kind of goodness, but the kind of goodness that fills our chests, that steers us to do what’s right when there’s no hint of personal gain to be had by doing so, that moves us to become all we can be not for the sake of self-promotion but for the sake of self-donation.
In other words, to become like Christ.
The forty days of Lent mirror the forty days Jesus spent praying, fasting, and being tested in the desert before He began His public ministry.
Lent invites us into a journey with God where we open ourselves humbly before His eyes, repent of our personal and corporate wrongdoing, and seek Him for the goodness we so desperately need that we do not find naturally within ourselves.
There are things no President can do.
And there are things no President can do for you that you can. Lent invites us to follow Jesus into the desert to find out what those things are.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Question: What kinds of things can you do that not even the best President can do for you? Leave a comment below.
Humbly,
Josh
P.S. Where Regen can help you grow in your ability to listen to God, walk free from sin, or love well, let us know.
Presidents cannot change our hearts, only the Lord can. The Lord through His Holy Spirit can make us humble and seek His will, not ours. Presidents cannot stop abortions, they can just make it harder for a woman to get a safer one. Abortions will still happen if they are legal or illegal. Only the Lord can change a woman’s heart to desire against having an abortion. Presidents cannot stop gay lifestyles – they might stop the legal benefits of legal unions or what bathrooms they can use but they can’t stop people from engaging in the gay lifestyle. Only the Lord can change someone’s lifestyle. Presidents cannot stop people from choosing to poison their minds on the internet, but they can set limits on what is allowed on the internet. Only the Lord can convict us to stop watching evil things. Presidents cannot stop wars, but they can choose not to encourage hatred, bigotry and violence with their words. Presidents cannot claim to be Christian and yet claim they have never sought forgiveness from the Lord. Presidents cannot claim to be Christian and yet use vulgar words and fail to condemn the KKK. Presidents cannot claim to be the mechanism to protect Christianity, only Christ can do this. Presidents cannot claim to advance Christianity and at the same time treat people of other faiths with hatred and disdain. President’s cannot advance the kingdom of God, only Christ’s church can do this by following the Lord’s will. Only the Lord can change our hearts and help us choose to live in light of His commands. Only the Lord can change our hearts to DESIRE to follow His will instead of our own. Only the Lord can direct us to vote for the leader He wants us to have. But ultimately our loyalty as Christians should be to Christ, not a President.
What a good question…amidst all of the rancor and strong opinions! What can I do? I can love the people in my neighborhood and family. And loving means serving. I can look for ways to serve in the world around me. I can love the unloveable. I can suspend judgments and condemnation. I can bring light int an ther wise dark world. Correction: with the Spirit of Christ within me, I can do all of these things. Without that Spirit, I can do nothing. But with that Spirit, “I can do all thing through Christ Who gives me strength.” Let me also add that in these crazy days when politicians cannot seem to do more than promise (and sometimes not even that!), I am more grateful than ever for the sovereignty of God and that our hope truly rests in Him. Thank you for focusing on what we can do instead of on what we expect the government to do,for us!