Today is the first day I begin my Faith Journal. This is the journal that tells our faith story. I think I might have shared this on my last blog, but it I don't mind repeating it.
My earliest recollection of feeling close to God dates back to 6th grade - I think. I was an acolyte at my church and it was Christmas Eve. Although I don't remember ever witnessing this tradition before, one of the deacons asked me if I would pray at the end of the service. For someone who did not like to be the center of attention, I am shocked to think I agreed. I recall the end of the service drawing near, and that I had moved over to the pew on the alter that was in front of the microphone and was waiting for my cue. For some reason, I recall that they skipped my part and went directly to the next before coming back and asking me to pray. While I have no recollection of what I prayed for generally or even how long my prayer was, I'm sure it included something grandiose like world peace. The service ended and life went on as normal, until something happened politically in the world, which caused my father to comment on my prayer on Christmas Eve, that God had answered my prayer. I wish I could recall what it was. I guess I've always known that God answers prayer if we are patient enough to wait for it.
As I'm playing catch up in my Bible reading, I read all about the Exodus and the plagues in Egypt. There are always two things I think of when I read about the plagues - one is sympathizing with the Egyptian people, who suffered from having their water turned to blood, being infested with frogs, flies, gnats and locusts, having their livestock killed with disease, suffering from skin boils and trying to find shelter from the hail and enduring the days of darkness before their eldest son died. The other things is shock that God harded the heart of the pharoh so that he would not let the Israelites go worship God until God had demonstrated and shown his glory through all the plagues.
As a people, we are at the mercy of our leaders. As the election grows closer I find myself pondering the way we change leaders. I support term limits - not only for the president, but also for congress and the senate. I watch as candidates rip each other apart publically, and I am disgusted at the pundits who analyze and pontificate about the flaws and failures of the other side and the other parties in general. Frankly, I'm tired of it. Personally, I have been criticized by others for my support of a candidate or two and sadly, I have vocalized my disdain at their cadiditate too. I question the cadidate's honesty wonder whether they are looking out for my best interests or their own. I've learned as I've watched the unraveling of our country this past decade - first with the media critizing our past two presidents and second as the social media separates close friends and families - I wonder whether there is any hope for our country remaining united.
But what I never question is the love of my God or his ability to answer prayer. Whether it was my youthful prayer lifted up during the cold war, or my prayer today for peace and unity in our country regardless of who sits in the oval office, I am confident that my God is bigger than any of the petty banter that springs forth from our television sets or through our computers. I place my faith in Him. Just as the early Israelites placed their faith in God to keep them from some of the plagues, until He provided a way out.
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