VOTE

Last updated on: October 14, 2015 at 8:30 pm by Amy Butler

VOTE 2015-10-14T20:30:10-04:00 Amy Butler

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This morning I spent a chilly hour and a half in a line that wound all the way around a local elementary school building. While the wind was bracing, the sun was shining and the spirit in the crowd was high. People carried their bundled-up toddlers and hung on tightly to their dogs’ leashes. Conversations between strangers sprouted up all along the line. We were all waiting to vote.

In my particular jurisdiction there are no races really up for grabs; the outcome of the election will not be different because I voted. Why did I do it, then? I did it because it’s my civic duty, as I learned in eight grade. I did it because I believe in the people for whom I voted. I did it because I want my children to see me voting and know it’s important. I did it because I believe in the power of working together for a greater good.

As I stood in that interminably long line, I had time to reflect a little bit. Today is a good reminder that there really are people who care about something bigger than themselves. There are folks who will brave the uncomfortable to do the right thing. In a cynical world where these little pockets of people seem few and far between, the reminder was soul-heartening.

I couldn’t help making the connection between some of us who hope for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. Some days it seems so far away. But I’ll bet there are a lot of people willing to stand in line to make it happen. I know a lot of you who would. And I am grateful.

Here’s a prayer for today, portions of which we heard in worship Sunday, written by Bob Baird, member at Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, Texas:

O God, the election is upon us. As a nation it is decision time, and probably most of us don’t know how to pray either as a community or as individuals. It’s not cynicism so much, though no doubt some of us succumb to that, forgive us.

But our dilemma is that as a community at worship we have so many different views. You know that. So how do we pray as a community?

Even as individuals it feels wrong to pray that our candidate will win as if our prayer could cause you to determine who will be the next president or representative or judge. If anything seems clear in our world, O God, it is that you have left those decisions in our hands. And maybe that’s why it’s a frightening prospect, for so often we don’t get it right—even when life and death are at stake.

What do you require of us, O God? Surely, that we act justly, that we love kindness, that we walk humbly with you. We know the words, but do we know the way? That’s our problem—figuring out the way. So what can we pray for? Enlightened minds in the face of so many complications? O God, we do pray for that! For tender hearts in the midst of suffering that has national scope? O God, we do pray for such hearts! For faith that, despite the way things often appear, goodness is at the heart of reality, that you are at the heart of reality. O God, we do pray for that!

For by faith we believe that the future is open, that the future is your gift to us. Help us to seize it and to live it “finely aware and richly responsible.” May the enlightenment, the tenderness and the faith we pray for guide us as individuals and as a nation in a time of great decision.

In the spirit of Christ whom we adore, Christ who is our model, in the spirit of Christ who redeems all the messes we make and gives us our future, we make our prayer.

Amen

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 5, 2012

Dreams of My Mother (The Church)

Next Post

November 8, 2012 Psalms and Pastoral Interns, Some Thoughts

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Answering the Call Being the Church Curating Wisdom Laughing Out Loud Living in Relationship Practicing Discipleship Reclaiming Baptist Speaking from the Pulpit Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005

Search for:

VOTE

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Meta

Who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus?