Are you ready for a change in our government? Over the last several weeks we have been bombarded with ads, jokes, slogans, debates and even disasters all reminding us that we need a change in this country. Who could not agree? I’m not embarrassed to say Hilary Clinton had been my first choice for this 2008 presidential year. For years I had admired her stands on social justice and agreed with her plan and need for universal healthcare. I watched in amazement as a quality of character developed through a persistent choice to forgive her husband’s indiscretion amidst world wide negative opinions and shame. By June of this year it had become apparent that in spite of her 18 million votes she would not able to secure the democratic nomination and urged her supporters to remember the people and causes for which she stood and cast their votes for Barack Obama.
Barack Obama! What an odd name for a President? Over the years the privilege to vote in a Presidential election had become more of an obligation than a cherished right. Sadly it usually had come down to selecting the candidate who could do the least damage. However this year it seemed there was so much more at stake. Rising health care costs and insurance had taken away huge chunks of our income, not to mention the effects on seniors and other weaker groups of our society. Likewise soaring gas prices had significantly affected my petroleum based small business. Setting a time table for removing troops in Iraq and re-organizing our military seemed the only prudent thing to do when considering the enormous debt our country had incurred while assisting this country which seemed perfectly capable of economically helping itself with its own massive oil reserves.
Fueled by a media frenzy I had become engrossed in all the presidential debates and interviews. Each evening I found myself eagerly watching for the latest campaign updates. It simply made no sense to me why any middle class family should vote for a man who didn’t even know how many cars he owned or at which of his seven houses he had parked them at? After all, at his age I questioned if he couldn’t remember where his cars were parked what other things he might forget if he became president? Coupled with four cancer surgeries and a “Hockey Mom” for a running mate, the choice of Barack Obama had become the only logical pick, for me. The Wall Street woes, failing banks, and congressional mayhem had all but sealed my decision. Each debate solidified my choice.
Unfortunately that was the problem. Barack Obama had become my choice. Who was God’s choice? On every major issue it seemed I disagreed with John McCain except for the moral ones he purported. Although I strongly disagree with abortion I justified to my friends and anyone I could find to listen that a president would have little or no influence on overturning the Roe vs. Wade decision. Even if the next president could appoint enough Supreme Court Justices to over-turn the decision the very best we could hope for would be that the court would put the decision into State law makers hands. Then if that ever happened, some brave state would be bold enough to overturn abortion rights in their state. Unfortunately wouldn’t that be setting up a system where women just traveled from state to state until they got the abortion they wanted anyway? If this sounds a little freaky to you don’t feel bad. Few of my Christian friends accepted my logic.
Don’t get me wrong. I was crying out to God for an answer on this decision of president everyday. If I was being deceived I needed to know. Then one night I feel the Lord gave me a dream that sealed the decision. In the dream I was waiting in an airport mall to board a plane and had decided to purchase a magazine for my trip. As several hundreds of people were swarming past the convenience center three young men were flailing on the floor outside the store. Their mouths were taped and wrists bound. As they trashed about I asked someone who they were. A lady behind me said they were three men who had impregnated their girlfriends and were fighting for the lives of their un-born children. The girls had chosen to have abortions and these young men were trying to garner support and attention to save these babies. As the words slipped from her mouth I looked up and saw my nearly grown son. My only son! My son who was given to us through the miracle of adoption! Immediately I knew that I could not support a candidate for president who has vowed to overturn the ban on partial abortion once he takes office. Nor could I vote for a man who would not want one of his daughters to be “punished” with a baby. How could I look my son in the eye and tell him that abortion is only one issue? Suddenly all my logical arguments for needed changes in our country paled when I looked into his eyes which held such great promise and hope for our future.
So on election day, which is less than a month away now, I guess I will be voting for John McCain. I honestly can’t wrap my mind around making that choice but if there is a chance, any chance for the massacre of abortions to one day end how could I cast a different vote? Isn’t are God able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could think, ask or imagine?
Certainly everyone has to make their own decision in this election and there are many issues and challenges at stake. It was said that so many people are complaining that there are no good politicians to choose from anymore. Could it be that this great future leader fell prey to being one of the third of our population that has been killed through the atrocity of abortion?
Again, I know that much is at stake in this upcoming election and everyone must vote their conscience. But I challenge each of you to ask God who to vote for. He promises that if we ask for wisdom He will supply this request. God Bless.
