I’m Voting for Barack Palin!
Friday, October 3rd, 2008
That’s right! You heard it here first. After last evening’s debate between the Vice-Presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, I am one of the undecided independents who has made up his mind about for whom I will vote: Barack Palin.
I was going to vote for Sarah Obama but the way blogs are these days, I’d be accused of voting for Barack Obama’s fictitious first wife, who is a white witchcraft-proofed Pentecostal, who divorced her Muslim husband in Indonesia, who, after they split up, moved to Alaska while he moved to Chicago, only to be reunited on the grandest of stages 20 years later. Of course, this story is completely made up.
So I’m voting for Barack Palin instead, and let me explain why. After watching the debate last evening, I saw a common characteristic that I admired in both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. Both of these individuals recognized a once in a lifetime opportunity, and were not afraid to seize it. It’s been said that the Chinese symbol for the word “crisis” means “eminent danger and incredible opportunity”.
Make no mistake, both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin were chosen as candidates. Sarah Palin’s journey to candidacy was fairly straightforward. Regarding Barack Obama, there is a CNN documentary that covers his rise and shows how he was chosen to run for president. After delivering such an electrifying speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention (another seized opportunity), he traveled the country campaigning for other democratic candidates. He was such a draw everywhere he went that one of the democratic heavyweights convinced him that he himself should become a candidate.
What I am most impressed by is that these two candidates seized their opportunities, even though the timing seemed wrong. I did not think Barack should have run against Hillary Clinton. I thought he would have been better off waiting until 2012 to have a better opportunity to win. I was wrong! I thought that Sarah Palin was not ready for primetime, especially after her interviews with Katie Couric. My opinion was that she’d have been better served if she had simply “stayed up there” in Alaska. Yet, after last evening’s performance, if John McCain were to lose this election there is no doubt that she is now in the mix for 2012.
So, love them or hate them, when the door of opportunity opened, they fearlessly walked into the room and their lives now will never be the same. I pray that during this “Year of New Beginnings”, you and I will fearlessly walk through the doors of opportunity God swings open for us by His Holy Spirit. These doors may not be so recognizable: a lay off, a failure in school, a broken relationship, an unexpected illness, or a myriad of other things that may or may not initially look like a God-given opportunity.
Yet, if we ask God to open our eyes, He will show us that He’s been working on the other side of that door waiting to greet us with His plan for our good (Romans 8:28). So I’m voting for, ah heck, I’ll say it: Sarah Obama! Of course, I invite your thoughts on this exciting election.
Niecey said on October 22nd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Recently, I learned that one of my cousins packed up her three children to campaign in the midwest for one of the candidates. My father, who once identified with a certain set of political philosophies, has since shifted his political views. Indeed, the role this election has had on my family illustrates that this is an election like no other.
Because I am still a national of my country of birth, I find myself in a rather interesting position. While I have become increasingly more critical of one of the campaigns, I am still able to step back, reflect and remember that ALL things are in God’s control (admittedly, I believe it would be more difficult for me to do so if I were voting). In the midst of such critical moments, I am reminded of the sovereignity, power and wisdom of our God. Ultimately, He knows who this country needs for a time such as this.
One thing I have learned over the past few months is that the people of God must be vigilant to lay all things at the Master’s feet. If one claims to be a child of God and a follower of His word, he or she must demonstrate those beliefs through actions; Words void of supporting action is nothing more than empty rhetoric. With respect to the candidates, I believe that this is the only way to help craft a more perfect union.
I don’t know how this story will end, but I do know one thing: God is still in the business of being God! Whether or not the candidate that embodies hope and change assumes the position of Commander in Chief, we as the people of God must remember that our “hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness”.
With this in mind, I’d like to answer the rhetorical question posed by one of the campaigns: “Got Hope?”
YES, SENATOR, I DO!
Amy M. said on October 23rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Wow, I haven’t packed up my family yet but I am an enthusiastic supporter of the candidate of hope. I was encouraged by the feedback that was left a while ago supporting the aforementioned candidate. I thought her reasons were right on.
Now that it looks like Obama will win the presidency, I hope that we can all take up his prayer (pilfered from the Western Wall) as our own for him:
“Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.” Amen.
While I do believe politics is important, the kingdom of God trumps everything. As a country, we need the spirit of God to revive us into the works of Jesus. I am not a member of PT but I visited your church recently and have listened to most of Bishop Greene’s sermons online. As a nonpartisan observer, I think that your church is special, a place where the kingdom of God is at hand. I pray that Bishop Greene’s desire for PT (from the excellent message “Sackcloth and Ashes”), would be so: that PT would be a church of supernatural power, of repentance and miracles, of rivers of living water for a dry and thirsty land. Amen!