"Many of us have had to stand alone for years witnessing to the power of
Christ to save His people to the uttermost. Like Joshua and Caleb, we have had
to follow God alone as we followed Him wholly. But this is the real victory of
faith and the proof of our uncompromising fidelity. Let us not, therefore,
complain when we suffer reproach for our testimony or stand alone for God. Let
us, rather, thank Him that He so honours us and stand the test so that He can
afterwards use us when the multitudes are glad to follow." ~
A. B. Simpson
I love this, because after the election, many of us can feel outnumbered within our country. I know I have for years within my extended family. But remember that we are not truly outnumbered...there are brothers and sisters in Christ all around us! We were at my rheumatology appt. yesterday, and my dr., who is a lovely Christian...we were all talking about this. She and her husband so love the Lord, but often feel outnumbered in the medical field, as well, re: their faith. But God blessed us with my appt. yesterday, and we were all able to encourage the other. Then we went to eat at Panera Bread afterward, and we saw 2 men, at separate tables, working on their laptops, with their Bibles in front of them. We got to talking to the gentleman next to us...he's in seminary, homeschools, and they have 7 children. We talked about the election and we each encouraged the other in the faith. We talked about our recent trip to Maine, and how it saddened our heart to hear about the vote for same-sex marriage passing there. There are many, many Christians in Maine, who did not want this to pass and who worked hard for it not to. We talked about how a pastor that had worked hard against that ballot issue...how he arrived at his church election morning, to find his church defiled with swastikas painted all over his church. We discussed how the liberal media ignored that story; and how the intolerance and persecution is really that of Christians...and how it will probably just continue to get worse. Yet through all this, the main things that God impressed upon my heart were:
1) We have a great cloud of witnesses, not only above, but here in a sense on earth, as well. Lots of brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where we turn or travel.
2) I kept hearing how had Romney won, our Republican party would have turned our country back to the "dark ages". And what saddens my heart, is that they will truly know darkness, for all of eternity, if they remain on the path they're on. One day, they will find out how utterly wrong they were. And I felt it impressed even more upon my heart to pray for them that are so lost, no matter the mockings or jeerings they do to us regarding our faith in Christ. I think about how it is by the grace of God that I am saved. I pray this same miracle gift for those whose eyes have not been opened to the Truth.
3) And most importantly, despite the election results, I am reminded that God is still on His throne, and *no* election or changed laws can *ever* remove Him from it! :) Now *that's* good news...in this, we *have* won the real election, and that is what counts the most!
