Very Encouraged and Still Very Burdened

I keep waking up at night...3:30 AM seems to be the normal call to prayer these days. Sometimes I pray till I fall back asleep, sometimes I just go ahead & get up for the day, and sometimes, I have to confess, I just kind of moan something like "Lord help us" & turn over & fall back to sleep.
I know so many others who have similar stories of just feeling very burdened & led to pray, to motivate others and to make others aware of what we stand to lose in this country, as Christians, as American citizens, if certain candidates are elected tomorrow.
It's always my heart to "not offend" anyone, so if you can tell where this note is going, and think you may feel offended, please stop reading it now. I do love you & know we all have a right to our own decisions & choices, so I respect yours.
But today, it's more in my heart to honestly share what I've been wrestling with, so here goes...
Like many of you who have fervently prayed for this election tomorrow, I am incredibly burdened today, still. I do feel encouraged, I do have a strong faith that God can do ANYTHING! But I keep thinking of all the potential implications that this election can & will have in our country for the years ahead, depending on who's elected. Like many of you, I've read countless emails and articles and have watched numerous segments both online & on TV about the candidates, about where they stand on the big issues of our day, and where they stand on the big issues in God's heart. I'm weary of the polls, of the ups & downs, of everyone saying how this may be virtually impossible for McCain to pull off, of hearing how many possible Obama supporters have already voted, etc.., etc... O.K., enough already, whew! I know you don't need yet another person like me to tell you where the candidates stand on every issue, if you don't know that yet, please call me!

But here's what I love about God's goodness...
I've been reminded of the countless incredible stories all through the Bible of how God is for the "underdog" - how God LOVES to take the "impossible" situations & do a complete miracle. Something that can only be explained by the word - GOD. That's what I just love about God, He's so amazing in that way!
Stories like David & Goliath (Dawson & Noah's personal favorite). Who would have ever dreamed that a mere young boy could have defeated the GIANT with a slingshot of all things! GOD WAS WITH HIM!
What about the Israelites as they fled from the Egyptians? A vast army of strength chasing this mass of people, many women & children, but God intervened! He parted the seas & allowed His people to pass through on dry ground, yet destroyed the enemy after them. GOD WAS WITH THEM!
And then there's Paul & Silas, who had been thrown in prison, you might as well as thrown away the key. But who needs a key when you have God??? There they were praying & singing that night in jail, & God sends an earthquake to set them free! GOD WAS WITH THEM!
So many other countless stories, Joshua, Caleb, Gideon, Rahab, Abigail, Peter, Abraham, Sarah, Elijah, Daniel, etc.., etc... People of faith who were willing to keep their eyes on their BIG GOD, rather than on the big giant in front of them, whatever that big giant was. And God is always faithful to intervene in amazing ways when His people call out to Him & depend on Him!!!
And I believe HE CAN DO THAT FOR US, TOMORROW! HE IS WITH US!

But here's the other thing that keeps gnawing at me these few weeks, and in the midst of all my hope for God to work on our behalf, it keeps me rather "somber" about this election.
It's the story from 1 Sam. 8, when the people gathered together & came to Samuel & basically said, "you're old, we don't like your sons, we want a king like the other nations have." So, translated into the year 2008, maybe it would sound something like this, "we don't like these same old ideas anymore, we don't like this party, we want something new, something young, we want universal health care like all the other nations have, we want change, etc...etc..." Now, not that any of those desires in themselves are that terrible (except maybe the health care one), but I'm seeing that our nation is not THAT unlike the previous generations before us, not that unlike the Israelites. Hmmm, scary thought. It leaves me wondering if ALL of the Israelites felt that way? Or if there were some that remained silent? Or, just went along with the crowd? Or, didn't want to ruffle any feathers? Where were those that disagreed? That still wanted God's authority to rule in the land? Hmmmm, another sombering thought. I have to believe that there were some, and maybe they did try to speak up, maybe they were outnumbered?
So God even told Samuel to go & WARN the people, He said to tell them just how bad this might be for them! It might "look good," it might "look like other nations they were wanting to be like," but He even went so far as to say, "when that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day." 1 Sam. 8:18
The story goes on to say that the people refused to listen...and God gave them that king they so desired. His name was Saul and what a journey they had from that day on.
Now in God, there's always HOPE, no matter what we face, so just a few chapters over from that one, we see His amazing mercy already in play, Samuel tells the people, "Do not be afraid...for the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own....be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, consider what great things he has done for you..." 1 Sam. 12: 20, 22, 24 But along with that hope, there was a strong word of warning again, read it in verse 25.

So, I guess through all of these pieces & thoughts today...here's the nuggets...

1. DON'T GIVE UP BECAUSE OF THE GIANT WE FACE
2. KEEP PRAYING, KEEP SPEAKING UP, KEEP MOTIVATING OTHERS
3. KEEP BELIEVING
4. VOTE - IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU IT DOESN'T
5. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, GOD SAYS "DON'T BE AFRAID!" FOR THE SAKE OF HIS OWN NAME, HE WILL BE WITH US!

I'm with you friends!
May God bless our nation with godly leaders and men & women of integrity!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Bless you today as you pray, as you go to vote tomorrow, and as you pray for the millions of others who will vote also.