OK, this headline kind of cracks me up. On one hand, I'm thankful that President Obama sees fit to defend proclaiming May 6th as a National Day of Prayer. A group or groups representing agnostics, atheists and some others have sued the government and a Wisconsin judge ruled the proclamation unconstitutional so the federal government is taking up the fight. That's cool but what I'm wondering is how many Christians, who abhor the Wisconsin judge's ruling and who will write and scream and talk in their homes and on their church pews knew what day of the year this typically occurred or how many of them ever spent the day in prayer. I wonder.
Here's where I walk on thin ice with some of my friends. I do not believe the government has the responsibility to defend our faith. I do not believe God blesses our country because a bunch of folks show up for church on Sunday morning. I do not believe this country is a Christian nation (have you seen the ads on TV, on billboards, the sex on TV and in the movies?) and I do not believe the government has to defend a National Day of Prayer.
Maybe I'm passionate about this because I'm convicted by it but I do not believe I can ask the government to defend this day or advocate prayer in schools or anywhere else if my kids aren't hearing me pray with them regularly, if they don't see me reading the Bible regularly, if they don't see me working among the hurting, the poor, the hopeless just like Jesus did. If my life isn't consumed with Christ and living out his example, why would I expect Washington to do it for me? What about you?
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate President Obama for taking this stance and hope he wins. I'm all for recognizing and promoting the positive aspects of Christianity but Christ-likeness starts with me...and with you.
Grace and peace to you.
2 comments:
AMEN! The worst of Christian history was when the government was the church's puppet.
Counterculture -- that's when we are at our best.
I'll second that amen.
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