If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
As I write this blog, election returns have not yet been tabulated, and we do not yet know who our next President will be. We hear rumblings about possible civil unrest regardless of which man wins the office. This breaks my heart. Then it makes me angry.
We have a long history of elections, and subsequent transfer of power if the incumbent loses the election. Similarly, should the incumbent win, we have been committed to accepting peacefully the will of the electorate. Regardless of the winner, and we may not know for some time after November 3, our proud nation must be committed to peace and adherence to the orderly processes we have had for over two centuries.
We have been blessed by so many elements that have contributed to our success as a nation. French observer Alexis de’ Tocqueville allegedly wrote that “America is great, because America is good”. Whether or not he actually uttered that statement, I believe it to be true. The greatness of our beloved United States lies in the generosity of spirit of its people, the courage of her defenders, the commitment to hard work, wonderful natural resources, and reliance upon God’s provision for our country to be the rescuer of other nations whose own freedoms were being threatened.
To think that this country could be beset by civil disobedience because of the failure of a particular candidate is appalling to me. This country has had some good Presidents, some poor Presidents, and even some great Presidents. However, this country is much bigger than the person who sits in power at the White House. The beauty of our republic is that there is an orderly process whereby we elect a new President every four years.
My hope, my prayer, is that the greatness of the country will be shown in the reason and caring of its people, regardless of the election, to maintain the integrity and character of the United States of America.
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your generous provision for the country we love. As the words of the song go, “Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with the light from above” Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 