It Is Bigger Than All Of Us

Like most of you, I sat in front of my TV on Tuesday. I started earlier than most because I have been sick all week. I sat and listened to all of the talking heads go on and on about the significance of each state, each county. I learned more about Indiana in those hours than I ever needed to know (and that is my mom’s home state). But then it happened, just like that. The polls in California, Oregon, and Washington closed at 8:30 pm and CNN declared Sen. Obama the victor. To some it was a moment of fear, fear that all of the hate and smear that was thrown at Sen. Obama would come true. He has been painted by his opponents as a Socialist, a terrorist, a Muslim, an elitist, a false messiah, the anti-Christ and unfortunately most of the more extreme accusations came from my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Then Sen. McCain got up on stage in Phoenix to speak and said the following:

 

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

 

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

 

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

 

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

 

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

 

I became hopeful that maybe, maybe we could move forward after such a difficult campaign. The words of Sen. McCain were marching orders to his supporters: get out there and support our new president, help him help America and the world. Then we waited and President Elect Obama stood before hundreds of thousands in Grant Park where a generation ago in 1968, ten thousand protestors fought the National Guard to end the Vietnam War, and the night ended in bloodshed and violence. On that stage President Elect Obama spoke to all of us:

 

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

I marveled at his speech, watching Rev. Jesse Jackson cry and the thousands of young people look up in hope and the words out of his mouth were not of boasting, not of self congratulation but of humility, peacemaking and looking at the tasks ahead. It was a call to all Americans, Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Progressive, to work together toward a better world.

 

After the speech, with Jake on my right and Grace on my left, Julie and I prayed for our country and our world.

 

“Father, we thank you for the peace that we enjoy, we thank you for the privilege of voting for our leaders. We ask that you would protect and bless President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, and their daughters. Would you help them lead us as a country to peace, to prosperity for all in this world. Would you help us, all of us find a way to support him in his endeavors to help the least of these. Would you please help reconcile us as a nation so that we can work together for the good of all. Amen”

 

Join me as we pray for our City, our State, our Country and our World.

 

Jeremiah 29:7

Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.

Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

NIV