i am not ashamed

​Many of us get tangled,
twisted, and all
wrapped up in this chaotic
battle of words called politics.

The reality is that these people
who will represent our country
are human...
just like the rest of us.

​But some of them
have been hiding behind that
big green curtain so long,
they have forgotten that
the levers they pull
actually affect millions of people...
like you and me.

---

So they just keep
spinning about in their version
of reality because...
well, they simply believe it now.

They have repeated those fabrications...
typed onto the teleprompters,
sprinkled into speeches,
dabbled in the debates so often
that it has just become their truth.
Whether it's TRUE to us, or not.

And they have forgotten how to admit
that they too are flawed human beings
just like us.

But let us, for a moment
take a pause.
Let us inhale deeply and
with the exhale
ease our shoulders
and try to relax into the fact
that this is not the end of the world.

As a matter of fact,
if it were, that might not be
such a bad thing...
at least as I see it.

For my vision isn't simply
fixed on the horizontal axis
of this life...
thank goodness.
For that would be a flat and
miserable place to live.

Just a bunch of negative
and positive people running about
infinitely in opposite directions,
getting nowhere fast
in the timeline of life.

Rather, I'm glad that we now have
a vertical axis reaching down from heaven
which intersected our flat and
flawed perspective
giving us the option of Absolute Value!

For Jesus takes all that I am,
and all that I am not,
and envelops it within His
love, grace and forgiveness.

And at just the opportune time,
He stood and gave a speech
which commanded my attention...
No, He wasn't running for office,
nor trying for a popular vote.

In fact, what He said, at the time
was rather obscure and misunderstood.

And many began to seek
to assassinate Him for being...
well, being so perfect.

But to me, He simply
pointed to the place of integrity.
Where x meets y and people
seeking solid ground can stand.

This man laid it on the line...
a truth was spoken
which caused me to pause,
to listen, to contemplate,
to believe.

And although I was not there,
He speaks to me still, today.

Summoning the crowd
along with His disciples,
He said to them,
“If anyone wants to be My follower,
he must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whoever wants
to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life
because of Me and the gospel
will save it.

For what does it benefit a man
to gain the whole world
yet lose his life?
What can a man give
in exchange for his life?

For whoever is ashamed of Me
and of My words in this adulterous
and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will also be
ashamed of him when He comes
in the glory of His Father
with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38 HCSB

Heaven forbid we stay
so tangled up in our chaos,
that we forget
this great promise.
For it far surpasses what any
human leader can offer us.

Absolute Value,
absolute truth,
eternal life,
forgiveness,
grace,
confident love,
and a proclamation that
we are His...
if only we will proudly proclaim
He is ours!

I am a child of the Most High God.
Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.
He came from heaven above
to live, to die and to rise again
for the sins of this world.

If we will give up our pride
and the demands to have our way,
He will lead us with such grace and peace
we would hardly be able to contain it.

I pray that our country would return
to one that honors Him...
Schools that will openly pray,
instead of just a moment of silence.

Public buildings that keep
the Ten Commandments
proudly posted.

People that stay standing
for the entire National Anthem.

We were a nation
founded under God...
this same Jesus who spoke
these truthful and loving words.

Lord, let us return to You
once agan.
But if they will not,
I will trust You still.

For even in a country
led by people who do not believe
You are still sovereign.
And no one will ever be rid of You,
nor Your word.

Word of God
train me today...
To keep my focus on the Kingdom of God,
for I know that the problems of this world
are not problems at all to You, Lord.

To acknowledge first, my Lord Jesus, and
to unashamedly give my life to Him.