THE BATTLEFRONT HAS SHIFTED

Despite the record number of evangelicals voting on Tuesday’s election, it is clear that the church is now largely irrelevant in electoral politics. The moral and biblical issues on abortion and gay marriage, stoked further into controversy by the support of the president, hardly deterred the majority of American voters.
As a young boy growing up in the Philippines, I have always looked up to America as a shining beacon of spiritual and moral strength, blessed for its righteousness. Hence along with many others, I have dreamed of migrating to this great country that I too might experience God’s blessings.

But can you imagine my disappointment, to see now that that once bright light is now flickering? And my efforts to keep it alight by voting for the first time as a new citizen did nothing to save it? 

This election means that the light of this once morally strong and Christian nation is now by and large covered, if not dimmed to uselessness. The Word of God says “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light” (Luke 11:33 NIV).

With the repudiation of the godly values in this election, I would be the first to admit the battlefront for the adult generation is now indefensible. There comes a point in church mission wherein we say enough is enough. Revelation 22:11 tells us this, "Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy” (NIV).

What does this election mean for this nation’s future? I suggest that we take a look at what God has done in the past. If biblical history would tell us anything how God would react after elections, I'd say look at the story of Moses and the twelve spies in the book of Numbers chapters 13 and 14.

With God’s command to conquer the promised land of Canaan, Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land for 40 days. Their report was that the land was good, “flowing with milk and honey.” But then they all, except for two, said that they don’t want to go to war for it. They spread fear and lies that they will be crushed. Hence, along with the ten dissenting spies, all the people who only heard from the mainstream media grumbled against obeying what God commanded them to do (see Numbers 13:26-33). This is no different from “voting God out” of our politics. 

As a result, God in his anger declared, “. . .your bodies will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert. . .” (Numbers 14:31-35).

It is frightening to hear God say, “You will know what it is like to have me against you.” But the votes have been cast and the voice of the majority has been heard.

What will the church do now?

We need to confess our sins and take to care of our children that they might not be deceived. They too will suffer for our unfaithfulness but God will keep them safe.

Ralph Reed, chairman of Faith and Freedom Coalition said that “Romney underperformed with younger voters and minorities and that in the end made the difference for Obama.” This should indicate to us that the focus must now shift to our young ones. They are the “difference makers.”

The battlefront has shifted. It is now in the hearts and minds of our young ones.

 

“As for your children . . .I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected”

(Numbers 14:31 NIV).

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