February 27, 2008

Immunity

Having developed a thick skin in church politics I thought, how hard can real politics be? I’m about to find out as I’m now a candidate for city council. The Lord knows I’m not a campaigner and has graciously allowed me to run in an election where I’m unopposed. Now I know how competitors on the reality show Survivor feel when they have the Immunity Idol. It’s exciting. Too bad we don’t have the same excitement about our Christianity. Salvation means we can’t be voted out of the Kingdom of God and our souls are out of Satan’s reach. The blood of Christ has freed us from the law of sin and death…now if we’d just start acting like we have immunity. (Rom 8:2)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Gail;
-----I think you know that my dad held a local political office for twelve years. What I saw him go through tells me your need for God’s grace will be less during the campaign and more during your tenure. You will get to see every side of the human character shine right into your face. A great decision will always please these folks and anger those. A lousy decision will always anger these folks and please those. No matter what you do there will be many who would vote you out of heaven, if they could. You will swear that some are trying to put you into Satan’s reach. Then it really becomes a nice job when the chanting public learns your home phone number. You will wish the Immunity Idol were with you for your full term.
-----But at least you won’t have anyone stoning you nearly to death, or putting you in chains and hauling you off to Rome. Although many may want to, nobody will actually lop off your head in the end. Paul’s attitude never was shaken by the extremes he faced. His faith was always there to drive him, and his joy crowded out the fear. He lasted through his troubles because he was laying the foundation for the church. His work was imperative. His focus did not wander.
-----I watched dad move with focus as well. When the rapid melt off of the mountain snow in 1984 threatened the bridges and half the town of Olathe, dad ordered the road crew to dump rip-rap into the river and to sandbag its banks, “We’ll worry about Federal regulation and the Army Corp of Engineers later.” His proactive focus upon only what needed to be done to keep that raging river inside its banks was my proudest memory of his political career. He understood his job was to make the best decisions he could. If some did not like them, that was the nature of the public, not his job.
-----I wish for you the wisdom dad used. And I know you have it; you know the Lord. Your job on the City Council will also be a big one. You won’t need to deal with a swollen river threatening to flood the city, but you will need to deal with swollen humanism threatening to flood the culture. As our country moves ever forward into the noise of environmental extremism, unending wars upon poverty, and the battle to free the evils of sexual perversion upon us all, we need the wise minds of those who know the truth to temper the effects of those who do not. Remember your character - humility, interest in the interests of others, and service. Remember your Lord. And you will do well.

God bless
Steve Corey