Tom Minnery wrote an article in the Sept 2008 issue of Focus on the Family’s monthly magazine entitled “How Do I Choose?” in which he lays out six issues to consider before voting in the November elections including:
Separate principles from policies.
Does the candidate have a Christian world-view?
Political parties matter.
Isn’t the lesser of two evils still evil?
What if all choices are bad?
What if I don’t know the candidates?
What is not present in Mr. Minnery’s article is any mention about having “peace” or otherwise praying to God for guidance with regard to a particular candidate. My NIV Topical Bible references Ecc 1:13, 17 & 7:25 with regard to acquiring wisdom through research and education. To that end, we have important decisions to make in November regarding our elected officials and it’s up to us to chose wisely.
2 Responses
I hear ya, bro. I worry about anyone who asks God about who to vote for, then opens their Bible wearing a blindfold, and points out a random verse or two…hoping for a magic bullet of advice. They may as well say, “Bibles…That was easy.”
Although I lean toward Calvinism, I do not subscribe to the common misconception that God’s sovereignty is there to remove our responsibility to seek out his mind, his heart, his wisdom. I believe it is almost never revealed to us without lots of study, meditation, and yes, prayer. But it is not a quick thing. It is usually revealed through scripture only. I believe that is intentional on God’s part.
Over years of maturing in these good habits, I can see how many areas in which one previously struggled could be resolved much quicker, having ingested and digested the best source for knowing God’s mind — only the Bible.
Can we still go to coffee together? 🙂
Daren,
Thanks for the comment, Daren.
By the way, I was running a secret contest – the last person commenting on this blog in the month of September gets a free cup of coffee. Congratulations! To redeem your coffee, please be at the previously agreed to place and time this Saturday.
Bob
(The fine print: Purchaser (me!) reserves the right to reduce the amount of purchased coffee by 10%/minute for each minute after 7:01am)