As I woke up this morning, while my home country went to sleep, I was shocked to see the likely results of the US election. I first felt shock, but then turned to what it would mean for my life and felt embarrassment.
I'm not loking forward to the next month of questions that will come. "What do you think about Trump?" "Could you believe the results?" I'm not looking forward to trying to explain in broken German my thoughts on the matter. I'm not looking forward to this stupid feeling of needing to defend Americans for making a decision that everyone in my life is flabbergasted by. My next thought was about my real citizenship. (Philippians 3:20), and my true identity. I may be an American in a strange land, but I'm also a Christian in a stranger world. We will see what will happen in the coming months, perhaps Trump will prove himself a liar and not attempt to do that which he campaigned for. But perhaps he will attempt to do exactly what he campaigned for. If he attempts to deny Syrian refugees entry, or shows hate to the Muslim, or defiles women, may I turn to what the Scriptures say (Matthew 25:35-46). It is borderless, its love is boundless, its care for the least is unprecidented, and its call is for all to come. Despite the 80% of American evangelicals that voted for Trump, I pray so hard they have not destroyed their voice with their vote. This statistic is already being reported here. Before I had even had breakfast, someone mentioned American evangelicals to me. You are a loud and complicated group and your voice gets heard around the world. I fear you just destroyed it. I hope you prove my fears to naught by standing by the fearful and marginalized when push comes to shove (if we haven't already been shoved). Matthew 5:46-47 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? If Trump turns to hate, may we be the first to join the protest and speak, cry, act in love; it is our second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). Despite what happened yesterday,God is still on his throne. Psalm 47:8 says, "God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne." I praise him today for that.
3 Comments
Sarah Griffith
11/9/2016 09:13:07 am
Rachel, thank you for speaking truth.
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Ingrid Morgan
11/9/2016 11:13:15 am
Thanks, Rachel, you expressed exactly what I feel and what my husband and I said to each other this morning. This is a time for the people of the USA to get to their knees and pray and to put their trust in God once more.
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Danny Ottoson
11/12/2016 12:49:43 pm
I can certainly understand your concern and frustration. This is the first time I didn't vote for the Republican candidate for president. However, other than supporting a sure to lose third-party candidate, what choice did evangelicals really have in this election? Could they support Hillary Clinton who advocates the killing of unborn children up to the moment of their birth? Who was quoted as saying that "we must change the religious beliefs of Americans?" Who is for the jailing and closing businesses of Christians who refuse to bake cakes, take pictures, etc. for gay weddings? Who advocates allowing men to share bathrooms with women or even high school males to shower with females? To me there is one over riding issue that determines my vote and that is the pro-life issue. Although Trump claimed to be pro-life(for the moment), I wasn't convinced of the sincerity of his change of position. Therefore, for this reason and several others he did not get my vote, but please make it clear that what you wrote wasn't advocating a Hillary Clinton presidency?! Blessings to you and your precious family.
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My name is Rachel. My husband, son, and I recently uprooted our lives and moved to Austria. Join me in all things new: language, cooking, church, child-rearing. We're doing the same things, but oh so differently. Archives
June 2016
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