My dearest friend and I met last week for a national conference for leaders of single parent family ministries. She was also able to come to Abilene a few days, including last Sunday and enjoy a time to meet some of my new friends at Highland.

Among other thngs, we talked about the upcoming elections. She’s a beautiful Christian, as well as being Black. [She really gets upset when someone calls her an "African American, saying she has no roots in Africa.] She has always voted Republican, but something this time is causing a crisis. She is almost to a point of voting for Kerry simply to see if maybe the ‘other side’ will come up with ideas that will not be so violent, as is the case with Iraq. She’s deeply disturbed by the expressed hatred she sees on both sides, the lies from both sides, the unfulfilled promises from both sides, but admits to having no solution.

We really only have one solution - to remember where our true allegiance lies, where our eternal citizenship is, and to prayerfully turn this election situation over to the only One with the power to still once again, turn our messes into one of His miracles.

I confess to being far more concerned for our process and the future of our nation, Mike, and pray fervently that our nearly 250 years of successful governing philosophy will remain in tact through the trial awaiting us this coming Tuesday.

I still find amazing the fact that every 4 years our nation involves what can only be seen as a peaceful revolution - at times a continuance and at others a complete overthrowing, sometimes angry, often emotional with few who feel unaffected by its outcome.

I find it very hard to say “real Christians” will vote for so-and-so. Both candidates represent at various levels things that are extremely contrary to the will of God and detrimental to his kingdom. And both espouse in some ways values and ’causes’ that are very near to the heart of God. But sometimes I think God doesn’t really care one way or the other about the US and I find it hard to believe he gives a flip ultimately about whomever is in charge, because no matter how long we last as a nation, we’re impermanent. My citizenship here is transient and temporary, terminating on death or civil destruction. My citizenship with God is eternal and I tend to think that’s the only “government” he really cares about.

Isn’t our Christian responsibility to spread not only the good new and the love of God, but also to care for the widow, the orphan and the alien who dwells among us? And to do that, we use the tools available to us: our resources, our time and even our legislation, perhaps?

I dunno. To claim that the Christian’s choice is “obvious” is to devalue the concerns of many Christians - concerns that may reach beyond abortion, civil unions and national security.