Ramblings from a sleepless voter

Forgive the longer post (and the rambling sentences)…these are thoughts during a sleepless night after watching the disappointing election results. Part of the sleeplessness, no doubt, was taking part in the Starbucks free coffee offer at 6 o'clock at night.

We normally think of Judges as a chain of failed leadership—and that it is. But I was reminded tonight that Judges opens with a failure among God’s people primarily. The tribes, not any individual leader, are the focal point of chapter 1, with tribes going forth and conquering the land of Canaan—well, for the most part. In areas, they “did not take possession,” “could not drive out the inhabitants,” or “put the Canaanites … to forced labor.” It sounds almost like a power issue—Israel was just not strong enough to wipe them out. But in Judges 2:1-2, the angel of the LORD discloses the real issue—Israel hasn’t listened to / obeyed God. They have done the unthinkable and made covenants with the Canaanites and allowed them to retain their worship. In essence, Israel became complacent to the presence of sin around them and became dull to the word of God before them because they met opposition with faithlessness.

So Israel bemoans the unhappy circumstance of the persistent, annoying, judgmental presence of the Canaanite (who, as the book plays out, suppresses, takes from, and devastates the Israelites). But this judgment in a very real sense was brought on Israel by Israel.

As I sit here tonight and sorrow over the choice of the people of my country (election 2008), I realize—we have brought it all upon ourselves. Yes, our nation has shut the voice of God out of our lives. Yes, God’s people have shut their ears to His word. But yes, my own heart has grown insulated from Him. I have become complacent to injustice, unrighteousness—even within my own heart.

But, praise God, my heart has turned to Him time and again through this election process with a real sense of trust, repentance, confession and hope. May His kingdom come and His will be done—in my heart and in this country and in this world! I have been reminded that we cannot trust in any leader--in the Lord only is salvation!

As we see throughout the book of Judges, in wrath God remembers mercy. I pray it will be so for us during this time.