today's the day

As someone who likes to look at both sides of everything, I do my best not to come off as either a republican or democrat. More often than not, the labels do more harm than good (and neither fully represents my portfolio of political positions). 

With that said, I also oppose the idea that God and politics are entirely separate. Let me clarify: I'm not saying that one should take one's religious views and try to impose them on others through the use of political force (that is, after all, what politics boils down to: maintaining order through the use or threat of force). But you don't have to mean that when thinking about the relationship between God and politics. 

The prophet Jeremiah brought an amazing word to the Jewish people exiled in Babylon: 

"Thus says the Lord or hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce...seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (Chapter 29, verses 4-7)

For the exiles, returning to the Promised Land was their hope and dream. Yet hopes and dreams can so quickly become idols, confusing the gifts of God with God himself. It sounds strange, but even God's promises can sometimes keep us from seeing God. Such was the case for these exiles, and they needed to hear from God that even though he would keep his promise to eventually return them to Israel, they were to live their lives in the land in which they were imprisoned. In fact, and here's the amazing part, they were not only to live in Babylon, but pray for it as well. 

On this day, as our 44th president is sworn in, our country is seeing something it has never seen. Not only are we witnessing our first African-American president take office, we're also seeing for the first time a pro-choice/pro-gay marriage president who does not shy away from his Christian faith (inviting a pro-life/anti-gay marriage evangelical pastor to say the prayer that would initiate his presidency). And no matter how we feel about this, as Christians whom God has called to America, this man is now our president, even as this is our country...and we must pray for the welfare and benefit of both, even as Jeremiah called the exiles to pray for Babylon. 

You see, for those who follow Christ, our faith in God isn't separate from our lives as citizens (or immigrants) in this country, it is the essential part. And, as followers of Christ, we seek the best for our country and its leadership, even though we know full well that this place is not our Home, and not one of these leaders is our King. We do this not because of nationalistic pride, but because, for some reason, God has placed us here. 

In Luke's gospel, we read about a lawyer who asks Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" I remember a number of years back a friend of mine saying that he would move to Canada if Hilary Clinton was elected president. And, whether this comment resonates with or bothers you, I think it brings out the fact that one of the great things about politics is that it brings forward the same question. Can we call those people our neighbors? Can she be my president? The answer is yes, and this is because He has placed us here. And thus we pray for our neighbors, whether they be our leaders, friends, or even enemies. 

Doing this is not easy. At times, especially when we disagree with those in power over us, we may question why God would place us here. And it is then that we should read the rest of what God had to say through Jeremiah: 

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you."