There are a few times when you know that you have lived history. Today is one of those days. We are seeing history in the making. Either Barack Obama or Sarah Palin will make history. Obama will be the next President marking the first African American to hold this office or Sarah Palin will be the first woman Vice President.
Last night I watched Obaman accept the democratic party nomination and couldn't help think that 45 years ago he wouldn't have been able to attend the same school or eat in the same restraunt with me. Today he may be the next leader of this nation.
Palin could hold the same job as other men and make less just because she is a woman. Now she may become the VP.
We are living history and one day we will be telling our grand-children about this election. Our nation will never be the same come January 20, 2009.
Don Miller was invite to offer a benediction at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night. Here is his prayer in video and in text
"Father God,
This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.
We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.
We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.
Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.
Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.
Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.
Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.
Help us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.
Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.
We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.
Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.
A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.
Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.
Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.
Lastly, father, unify us.
Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.
And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.
God we know that you are good.
Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.
I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.
1. We have no arch enemy. When I was growing up it was always the USA versus the Soviet Union. It was like your bitter rivalry and struggle for world dominance every four years. You hated those red uniforms with CCCP on them (still don't know what that stands for). Today who cares? We need an arch nemesis. Until we do the NFL preseason is more interesting.
2. Time Zones. Who wants to set up until 1:30AM to see the USA play basketball. I could watch the replay but ESPN, Fox News, CNN, and the Today Show tickers already told me who won.
3. Who Are These People? OK I know the basketball players. I know who Michael Phelps is because he must be the only USA athlete since he is all they ever talk about. I even know Shawn Johnston. But seriously, I have never heard of the rest of these people and after these games are over, Phelps goes on every TV show program, and the Wheaties box goes back to normal, when will you ever hear of these people again? I know, in four years when the Olympics is in London. It is hard to cheer for people you don't know.
4. Could we get some real sports? I am the last to criticize something as not being a real sport but this is ridiculous. Yes these events require skill. They require amazing skill and I could never do them. I'll even give events that have been events for 100 years plus a break. But are the following real sports: Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Hand Ball, Badminton, Synchronised swimming, Table Tennis, Synchronized diving? In 2012 softball will no longer be an Olympic sport I think they had to scratch it to make room for paint ball or laser tag or maybe fishing. This morning I turned on the Olympics to see Badminton. Are you kidding me?
Many times we can get so wrapped up into supporting any system (church, a business, relationships, etc) that we forget the reason they exist. Sometimes church becomes more about sustaining church than fulfilling Jesus purpose for the church. Sometimes church becomes a substitute for real spirituality. We can substitute a relationship with God for a program, event, or a chance to get involved in something. These are not bad things in and of themselves. If we aren't careful we can get us busy doing church things and forget about doing spiritual things. We can teach a Bible class but not spend time letting God's word speak to us. We can attend a give-away day but not help those in need in our own neighborhood. Sometimes all the programs and events give us a false sense or security and feeling like our involvement equals a relationship with God.
We define commitment to God by commitment to the church's programs and events. I never thought about this but it is true. If someone isn't involved in a program we can look down on them for not being committed or desiring to grow. But it could be that they live a busy life, are involved in things they don't parade out in public, going through personal struggles, or maybe they just can't make the meetings. It could be a reflection on their commitment to God but probably not.
You can find fault in everything. There is no perfect church, ministry, minister, Christian, etc. Some things need reformed but if you focus on all the faults you will find that you will never be happy or satisfied. This book highlights every fault of the church. Sure they exist but come on if I wanted I could highlight all the faults of his religious views.
Don't treat the symptoms treat the problem. If we helped people fall in love with Jesus all the other will take care of it self. We can treat symptoms (attendance, prayer life, bible reading, etc) all day long but the problem is someone's desire to love and know God.
Everyone is on a journey and there is no cookie cutter answer to life. The solution to our love, trust, and desire for God will be different for each of us. We will all connect to God differently and we all have different lives and responses to them.
Don't scrap everything. He suggest that real Christianity is best lived separate of any structured system. I could tell you 50 things wrong with our church if I had enough time to get out the microscope and highlight every fault but that doesn't mean you should just quit and throw it all out.
Read people that take extreme views from your own. I loved this book. I disagreed with allot of it but it made me think and grow. If we never read alternative views we will have little perspective and cheat ourselves from chances to grow.
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