“…choose this day whom you will serve,” Joshau 24:15

I watched the debates last night, as did perhaps 150 million others. I thought I had my vote settled, but, honestly, I didn’t see anyone on stage who looked presidential – at least what I consider that to look like. It looked more like bad marriage counselor trying working with a married couple that was beyond hope. Neither answered direct questions. Both interrupted continually. Both called each other names. The only way it could have been more disfunctional would be if it had ended in an actual fist fight.

As I pondered all this last night and again this morning, the only place I can go is to my bible. How do things end up like this? How can this great country end up with such behavior from our leaders?

Romans 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them to do what ougth not to be done.

Unless I missed something, I didn’t hear much last night that acknowledged God, either directly or even indirectly. That shouldn’t surprise anyone because our country doesn’t, either. And, honestly, we are entertained by sarcastic, over-the-top television and have been for decades. As much as we say we don’t like what we saw last night, it really is a product of what we do. 

Romans 1:29 They were filled with  all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Does this fit the two candidates last night? I think so. They reflect the nation who will choose between the two.

Lest anyone think I’m better than the rest, I’m not. I was the same way. But God, yes, God, changed me.

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jesus was not of this world, and no longer am I. This circus last night was of the world. It does not honor God, nor will it. Therefore, if I am not of this world, then I had better act like like I’m not. What does that mean?

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

I have to settle it in my mind that I am not going to be able to change this country. God has given us up to our debased minds to do the things we ought not to do. That’s God’s good and right decision. Believe it or not, the debate last night will glorify God. I must get my mind in the right place that I see that. And, no, God does not want me to act like them. 

What do I mean? Justice. Sin will not be left unpunished. God will have justice. That glorifies him. He also has mercy on whom he will have mercy. That glorifies him, too. In the end, God will not be mocked. Judgment day is coming.

Does that bother you? Enough to share the gospel today? Are you not God’s ambassador with a ministry of reconciliation? Do you see a need in this world to reconcile others to God?

Father, the debates were extremely disturbing and a good reminder that I am not of this world nor that I want to be of it. Father, I desire to be fruitful in my role as ambassador. Use me. Amen.

Copyright © 2020 Scott Powers

Photo by Frida Bredesen on Unsplash