When you wish you could blink and it would all be over

So…what will you be doing on election day, my fellow-Americans?  Joe and I have made our plans--we’re going to head for the beach in the afternoon and stay out there with no TV, radio or internet, for as long as we can.  Wednesday morning is soon enough to be inundated with what the pundits have to say about the events that took place in the good old U.S. of A. on Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

 If you’re like me, you just want this whole thing to be over.  I have found myself daydreaming about the end when the polls are closed, every ballot cast, a winner is declared and things can get back to normal, if there ever was such a thing.  But in truth, it will not be over for any of us when we wake up on Wednesday morning, for the unprecedented rancor of this election has left a wound, an open sore oozing with infection so deep it is hard to imagine how healing could ever take place.  

I have experienced just about every emotion over the past few months—from incredulity to disbelief, to confusion to anger to disgust and grief and everything in-between.  But a few weeks ago, I let go of it all, and simply asked Jesus what I could do, how I could honor him right now, here in this place, right in the middle of this mess.

And in the quiet waiting, I heard a gentle voice saying, “love me more.” 

​simple.     profound.                                   love.                      Jesus.                more. 

The amazing thing is that once my focus shifted; the rudeness, the acrimony, the resentment, malice, slander and hostility of the election lost its power, as it served instead to illuminate the beauty of Jesus Christ, like a gleam of light shining through a shrouded tapestry.  His meekness took on vibrant hues against the hubris that was being flaunted on the right and the left.  His compassion gleamed against the condescending slurs and caustic accusations that filled the airwaves.  His kindness glistened against the sarcastic insults, his gentleness ever more precious beside the pompous predictions.  In the end, the Spirit has used this election to brand my heart with this blazing truth:  There is and never has been anyone like Jesus.  

I feel so inadequate to put into words what this means and how it has changed things for me.  I’ve put off this blog for days, feeling I’d never be able to articulate my heart here.  So please bear with me as I plead with you, if you are a follower of Christ:  Join me in making this your aim, that no matter what happens tomorrow or in the days and weeks and months to follow, together we will set our hearts to simply love Jesus more.  This is our privilege.  This is our joy.  When it gets right down to it, why should we settle for anything less?

A FEW LINKS TO ENCOURAGE YOU ON THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION:
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