DID YOU HEAR IT?
Did you hear it? I did. Five minutes ago I watched and heard an inauguration wet with statements of faith - and specifically of Christian faith, although included were the obligatory acknowledgements of other faiths - from the magnificent glorification of Jesus Christ in Pastor Rick Warren's invocation to the God statements in Aretha Franklin's rendition of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" to the melodic elements of great hymns woven into the instrumental ensemble. Finally it extended even to the benediction.
I am affirmed in my belief that with the prayers of those who hear the call of heaven, Barack Obama's faith will undergo a conversion of sorts and that some of his stances on social issues that have so engendered opposition among us Christians would change. These changes are already showing. Several days ago I heard Fox News report a shift in his stance regarding same sex marriage, that he no longer advocates such a thing. To be fair, the announcer said that Fox was awaiting confirmation of this from Obama's people, but the report was certainly not made in a vacuum. The Lord told me weeks ago, and I put it in writing, that these changes would come if the believers would pray.
I have been praying, and I have encouraged others to pray, that the President would be blessed to use his considerable gifts of oratory to inspire hope and break the bondage of fear that has crippled our nation. He has a unique capacity to inspire through his words, and I believe he did that very well today.
I have no new prophetic word to deliver in this issue of Prophetic Moments - only an exhortation to pray for this man with honor and with love. It is now past time to lay aside the religious-spirited, negative, loveless world of condemnation that has tainted our Christian witness for the last couple of decades. Let us finally honor the scriptural exhortation to pray for our leaders and to respect them, and then let us see what wonders God may unfold. Daniel's service and wisdom, for example, went a long way toward bringing about Nebuchadnezzar's eventual acknowledgment of the living God. That same principle works as well today as it did then.
Something good was released today having to do with our nation's Christian faith. Let us pray that it grows. I realize this doesn't mean that conservative Christians suddenly have all they want. That's not the point. The point is that we can make a difference, but only by means of a spirit of grace, love and and a servant heart.
(Prophetic Moments is an occasional bulletin produced by Pastor R. Loren Sandford, New Song Fellowship, Denver, Colorado. )
