Wake up and shake up!
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
A century ago, the pot-bellied water-carrying pieces of firefighting apparatus were pulled by horses. On a normal day, the horses would stand in their pens, calm and content. But when the fire alarm bells sounded, they were alert, ready to be hitched up, and respond. When they were retired as motorized equipment came in, the horses had to be stalled or pastured far from any sound of even church bells.
In America today, alarm bells are going off everywhere. A check of the morning news can shock you with some new unexpected distress call. Many in media and among politicians want you to respond to the alarms by pulling the covers over your head and going back to bed—to do nothing. Their unstated goal is intimidating you, creating fear.
God tells you not to be dismayed or fearful. Instead he wants you to be alert, ready to “hitch up” and get moving. A significant alarm is the number of Christians who are not registered to vote and thus will not be participating in the coming election—an election that could set America on diverse directions depending on its outcome; an election that could be one of the most important in American history. If that number includes you, wake up! Hitch yourself up and get registered. Study the issues and the candidates and then vote in November. Don’t stay in the pasture because you’re retired, and certainly not because someone has intimidated you. Every vote will count!
Pray With Us
Righteous Heavenly Father, I am concerned about the coming election. I don’t want to worry because I know that everything is in Your hands. But when today’s verse says I will be strengthened, helped and upheld, it is telling me there is action ahead. Guide me in my choices. Give me courage to speak my convictions when challenged, rather than giving in to my tendency to withdraw. Let me be a peace-maker, for I pray in the name of Jesus, my Lord and my Redeemer,
Amen.
