A New Day Dawning?

Congratulations to President Obama, Michelle, and his two daughters. You guys have been in my thoughts and prayers over the last few months, and you will continue to be as you enter into your new job. I am proud to have you as my new President and I am excited to see what the future might hold. That being said, I don't consider you my Messiah or my Savior. You have a job to do, and people better let you step down off of their pedestal and get to it. God bless you as you start your new work.

One of the things that has been goading me are the comments about this being the dawning of a bright new era, a new world order. In some ways it is. Sixty-five years ago Dr. King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Yesterday, Barack Obama stood just opposite of that Memorial and proclaimed his oath of office, accepting the Presidency of the United States. It IS the dawning of a new day, a new order of things, a new time of hope. Finally, after years of segregation and prejudice, African-Americans have attained an equal place at the political table. Although it is a long time coming, and I am glad to see that it has finally happened.

In college my US Government professor laid out a series of "qualifications" that of our Presidents have usually met: White male; property owner (usually rich); well educated, but not too well-educated; Protestant; etc. I hated, HATED, hearing him say those things in class (and being tested over them as well.) It seemed ignorant, arguing that someone from a middle-class background couldn't become President. And he completely negated the idea that a black man could become President. I am glad to see that my professor's qualifications no longer fit the position. Is it the end of racism? No. But it is definitely a big step in the right direction!

Yet so many people are seeing this as more than it is. One lady in our newspaper had this to say. "This [Obama's election] is proof that we can still hope for humanity." Over and over again all I heard yesterday was that Obama was going to provide salvation for America. A new day is dawning, and Obama is the rising sun that will bring light and hope to the world. First of all, I think President Obama himself would be the first to tell them to get a grip. He isn't a savior; he's a man with a job to do. Allow President Obama to start work, and give him grace when he messes up or takes longer than we would want him to. He has a job that all of us THINK we could do but very few people could actually do.

Second, Obama is not God. I am distraught over the statements I have been reading. "Finally, we have hope!" If you put your hope in human beings it will surely fail. All of us mess up, all of us fall short. Each of us will inevitably make a mistake. If our only hope is in Obama, then the world is surely a sad place. What we need is to find hope in the One who never fails. I believe the author of Psalm 20 said it best: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." If we look for our salvation in the things of this world then we will surely lose hope. Obama will make some great decisions; he will also make some really poor ones. That is the nature of the job. But we have a God who provides for all of our needs, and because of that we have hope.

Intriguingly, the rest of Psalm 20 has a lot to say for where we find ourselves on January 21, 2009:
May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. (Selah)
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.
Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!

So... pray for President Obama. Pray for his family. Pray for the difficult job ahead of him. Cut him some slack when he falls short, or takes too long, or doesn't do what you think he ought to do. And place your hope in someone else, someone who will meet all your needs. I have a feeling President Obama would encourage you to do the same.

Father, we thank you for the way you are constantly working in our world. We thank you for giving us hope. We thank you for accepting us where we are, and calling us to be better than when you found us. Father, we pray that our world will find hope in you, because you are the hope for humanity. We thank you for the ways you have been working in ending racism in America; we still have a ways to go but we know that the good work will continue. Father, be with President Obama. Give him wisdom in his decisions. Help him to trust in you and your guidance. Give him a heart to serve people the best way that he can. Help us to find our hope not in the things of this world but in the One who created it and sustains it. In the name of Jesus, Amen.