Soap Box

Okay. Let me paint the picture for you. I get to work today...doing all the things that you can find to the right of this post(email...facebook...you know) and in comes one of my co-workers. We small talk for a bit and then I say well I guess you saw the news about Obama and he nods in agreement and then the flood gates open. We talked for probably a good hour after this. Both swapping opinions...insight...harsh judgements(just kidding on the last).

Now if any of you know me at all you know that I am not one to be at a party and start a conversation with, "So, when Abe Lincoln said blah blah blah...did he mean this or did he mean that..." or "I just feel like when the economy blah blah blah...we will really be in trouble as a country." I don't claim to be someone that is extremely knowledgeable in all things politics. With all that said. Whenever I enter into a conversation with someone about all the aforementioned I find that my heart gets very invested and this defense starts to rise from my toes.

As I talked to my co-worker today I realized that its not so much a certain party that I am in conflict with (which is what I felt was the issue before). I found that everything I was saying pointed to the church. I find myself feeling like I need to be very careful when I say this. I love the church. Love. What I love most about the church is that we are a group of people that have come together because we believe in Jesus Christ...so much that we have decided that we are going to follow Him the rest of our lives. Not only follow him but imitate His every thought, feeling, action, desire...

Let me back up a second and tell you a story. A couple of years ago I had come to place where I really began to work through some struggles or strongholds if you will. As I was working through these I came upon the all familiar verse in scripture about Fearing God. I just sat there and starred at it. Fear God. To Fear God. Why in the world would God want me to fear Him?! Later on that day it just hit me. Oh! To fear something gives it power. When I fear that I am going to be horrible at my job I give that fear power and it begins to control me...my thoughts...my feelings...my actions. My boss says, "Good job Sarah!" and I think does he really mean that or is he just trying to be nice. When my boss calls me to his office is it because he just has a simple question or am I doing something wrong?! So. When I fear God I give Him complete power. He controls my thoughts...my feelings...my actions. It was like someone had just shared the greatest news with me. Because when you fear God every other fear pales in comparison. Nothing can touch me. Nothing has power over me. All my life I read that scripture with feelings of such imprisonment and that day I found the greatest freedom in that same scripture.

Where is that same freedom when election time comes? I have heard multiple people say..."Oh, if he/she gets elected...I mean I don't what is going to happen!" "He/She will take away the rights that we have as Christians!" Seriously!? What god are we serving!? My God is way too small if I think that any person, political party, or government can change or effect my relationship with Him or the church. As we come into this election it is so easy for us to look to our government to take care of the things that we are too scared to take care of ourselves. I need to take God out of the little trinket box that I have placed Him in and let Him really use me to be the hands and feet. I serve a God that does not need a bill to be passed...or a law to be made...but instead empowers us to be like Jesus. Feed the poor, comfort the widow, provide for the orphan, love the scared mother and unwanted child...

Praise God that there is nothing to fear. He has conquered all.


...now stepping off my box.....:)