A Pledge to President-elect Obama

Dear Mr. President-elect Obama:

Congratulations on your hard-fought victory and election to our nation's highest office, and becoming the leader of the free world.

I want you to know that I will be praying for you. Not praying against you, or about you, but for you. That is both my pledge, and my obligation as a follower of Christ. In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

And I will do so with a full and undivided heart.

I will be praying for you from my position as a father of two children, and God willing, future grandchildren; that you will have the foresight to think through what your decisions will mean for them as the next generation.

I will be praying for you as a citizen of the United States; that you will seek wisdom from God and humbly submit yourself to His leadership as you lead our nation through economic turbulence, domestic divides, and cultural diversities.

I will be praying for you as a member of the global population; that you will work with other well-intentioned leaders from around the world as we face environmental challenges, wars and rumors of wars, and humanitarian crises.

And finally, I will be praying for you as a Christian; that you will encourage faith in God to flourish and never allow deeply held spiritual convictions to become a matter of ridicule, instead encouraging everyone to grant them a respectful hearing, even if they go against the political policy of your party.

You have inherited more that needs immediate attention than any other president in recent memory. As a result, it has been a hard-fought and hotly contested election. I will pray for you as you lead all who cast a ballot in your favor, and those who did not, to set aside their differences, no matter how deep the divides may be, and work together for our common good.

I will be praying for you.

Pastor Jim Thompson

Adapted from an article by James Emery White. Scripture reference: I Timothy 2:1-2, New International Version.

Life in Abundance

Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) What is Jesus really offering here? When I listen to the ‘prosperity preachers’ on TV I get the feeling that material wealth is a sign of God’s blessing—He wants to bless us “abundantly” with good health, a nice house, a new car, well-behaved children, etc.

What about those who struggle financially, or with health difficulties, or with wayward children. Some would say, "You suffer as a consequence to some un-confessed sin", or that "God hasn’t answered the prayer for abundance because the pray-er lacks faith."

When Jesus said He came to give “abundant life” it is important to understand what He was really saying. One of my favorite authors, John Fischer, points out that in the original language the word “abundant” is a superlative for the word “life”. Jesus was saying, “If you follow my Way you are going to get more of what life has to offer."

Not just the good stuff, but all of life; more laughter and more heartache, more friends and more betrayal, more answers and more questions, more supporters and more critics. Following Jesus causes life to be intensified, magnified and multiplied—not just the blessings, but the struggles. With more to handle it becomes even more imperative that we seek His advice and guidance, His counsel and consolation.

In some ways following Jesus makes life easier, and in some ways being serious about following Jesus’ Way makes life more difficult. I have found it to be the greatest of adventures; this listening and following, never knowing what you’ll be asked to do next, or what’s around the next corner.

The next time you find life really tough, try not to get angry at God. He said we could have life in abundance, and sometimes that is more than we can handle or juggle. That could drive us to our knees in prayer and drive us to our Heavenly Father for wisdom. For me, I can't think of a better place to be.