Calf making

[banzai]

Our church just began a sermon series (likely a long one, since the intent is to preach through the whole book) on Exodus. It'll probably be months before we get here, but much of the political drumbeat in our congregation and elsewhere reminds me of nothing so much as the golden calf of Exodus 32.

Comments

[journeyto]

This is a great post.

How does one effectively discern and differentiate passion for a candidate vs. calf-making in others? I've seen so many christians strongly imply or outright assert that the emotion and hope people are feeling over Obama means that hope for him is taking precedence over the truth of the gospel. Do you agree with that?

[jeney]

I can't speak to every situation or the state of everyone's hearts, but I do know that our hope, our trust, our faith must only find their home with our Lord. That's my personal belief.

Pray for, love, encourage others - hope in, love, trust Jesus.

[journeyto]

I don't disagree with this. I do think there's lots of room in my heart for both. :) But Obama or McCain or a 3rd party candidate or anyone doesn't have the last word on what I'm hoping for, even what I believe they will usher in (good or bad). Only Jesus ushers in what is truly Good.

Don't you love Lee's posts. He should write a book.

[jeney]

I guess I mean that I don't want room for both in my heart. I only want to trust Jesus, hope in Jesus, put my faith in Jesus. I don't want to put it anywhere else, because I don't think there is anywhere or anyone else worthy of it. And I'm really tired of being disappointed, you know? I could do without that.

Lee is one-of-a-kind and I appreciate his insights and his heart.

[jadeejf]

This is an excellent post. I keep feeling like so many people get so caught up in elections, and I just want to shake them and be like, you know, if the other candidate wins- God is still in control! Like you, I'm not for abandoning our civic duties, I just don't want us to forget where Salvation truly lies- and, as Derek Webb so aptly put it, we'll never have a savior on Capitol Hill.

[banzai]

Exactly! I agree with you, and Derek, and God, and everyone else who shares that viewpoint. And I totally get the importance-bordering-on-obsession for non-Christians-to them, this may really seem like the best shot we have at a savior. But for us, the context is completely different, yet we forget to act like His people. Good thing being His people isn't based on our remembering, or on anything we do.

[unblinkable]

You are the only person whose post I mail out to other people. Just thought you should know that.. because this one's getting sent out today.

[banzai]

Wow, I'm honored…and I'd better be careful!

[unblinkable]

And what's been said in the comments (by you) has made me all weepy. I've been getting this way when ANYONE says ANYTHING in support of communal church existence. I was beginning to believe that no one wanted to support it anymore.

[donerleg]

well said, thank you so very much...

[its_nin]

i love when you post. thank you.

[banzai]

If my posts are always this long, it's no wonder I don't do it more often. Everyone probably needs a post-reading nap. Well, I do, anyway.

[banzai]

You're welcome-honestly, I feel scattered and uncertain about all the implications I wrote about here (hence the length and rambling), but I had to write to work it all out somewhere slightly outside my own head, and it forced me to think a lot harder about it all to translate it into words. Glad it's readable by someone other than me!

[luvoflilacs]

Good post and comments. I love discussions like these, and only wish we had them more in the church. I also like the line from Derek Webb, where he wrote about where his first allegiance lies, and that is "to a King and a Kingdom". Anything coming before that will never do.

[banzai]

He's been getting some good buzz on that; I posted a link to his reoffer of Mockingbird today.

The church is so much more important than a politician, election, or nation. She will abide as His Bride when those other things pass.