Politics and Election and Memory Monday

Two hours? I thought to myself as I clicked on the first of five sections of my lecture for Systematic Theology. Two hours on election and God’s sovereign will. Fun.

At the end of two hours there it was. . . the mighty conclusion. . . it is a mystery. Yes, God is sovereign and He causes or allows everything that happens on earth to happen. However at the same time people have free wills and are responsible for their actions. We don’t understand it, but the Bible says it is true and so we must accept this mystery. Thomas Aquinas put it this way, “When the free will moves itself, this does not exclude its being moved by another, from whom it receives the very power to move itself.”

So my mind bends and wraps itself around the idea that God gives us free will and yet is sovereign over all. This isn’t new news to me and yet daily I act as if God is not sovereign.

I pretend our country is dependent on the outcome of an election rather than a sovereign God.

I think my failures and sin knock me out of God’s will. Yet God says He uses those things for my good.

I twist myself into knots attempting to be the perfect mom because somehow if I do it right my kids will turn out right. When in reality God is sovereign and my kids have choices.

God tells me I am responsible for my actions, but He is in charge of the outcomes.

So I pray and vote, but I trust God with the outcome.

I fall and make a mess of things, but God picks me up again.

I accept my mistakes as a parent, ask God for the grace to do better, and count on Him to help my children make wise choices.

Here it is. . . Once I give God my all, do what He has called me to do, then I need to pray. And I confess, I have not been praying like I should.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.  1 Samuel 12:23

So I need to pray for:

our country

our schools

our military

our families

our churches

our government

our cities, counties, and local governments

our justice system

those dealing with tragedy and heartache (be it the hurricane or a more personal issue)

I have often failed, but I pray I become a better pray-er.

So who is memorizing Psalm 40 with me? If you haven’t started yet you can still catch up. We are working on Psalm 40:3 this week. I love this verse: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” If only we actually sing the song He puts in our mouths then many will see, fear, and trust God.

Are you memorizing Psalm 40 with me? How is it going? If not what are you memorizing? I would love to keep you accountable. 😉