Exercising Your Right

I was watching some election news yesterday and the prevailing thought in my mind was simply, I can't wait until this election is over. As much as I would like to think that after the presidential election in a few more days everything would be quiet on the political front for 4 more years, I am not naive enough to believe that. Regardless of who becomes president in this election, there will be a movement to begin a campaign for the election of 2012. One of the things that has puzzled me over the years about America is how many people have never voted in a national election.

When you study history you will find that there have been many people that have given everything that they possess as well as going as far as spilling their own blood and giving their lives for the reason of being able to exercise their right to vote. Their have been strong movements in America to ensure that anybody that wants to vote can, yet their are some that will still not participate in the electoral process. Their have been many that have payed a very high price, yet it appears that their are some of us that feel inconvenienced to find a polling place to go and spend 5 minutes casting a vote. How could one person be willing to die for the right to vote and someone else be so detached to the point that they really do not care? I believe one of the reasons is what value they place in the process. Those that are willing to die for the right feel that the act of them exercising their right will make a difference whereas those that do not exercise their right have bought into the the thinking that their vote does not matter.

Spiritually I have to move myself to understand that my action makes a difference. I have talked to many in the church that have convinced themselves that the world is so far gone that the only thing the church should do is remove themselves from culture and try their best to stay untarnished until Jesus comes back. The problem with this is it goes against the commission in Matthew 28 to go and teach all nations. Their are rights that we have as children of God that have been given to us with a huge price being payed. The price that Jesus was willing to pay for us to exercise our rights as heirs of the promise was significant. In Acts 20:28 the scriptures tell us that Christ spilled His own blood for the church. The rights that we have as children of God were costly and are of much value. I believe that when we as children of God are not pursuing the gifts of the spirit as well as the fruits of the spirit, we are not exercising our rights as christians. When did discipleship end with faithful attendance to church? When this is what we relegate discipleship to we are minimizing the value of the rights that were purchased for us as children of God.

As children of God there is something that we can do. We are given the right to transform things through the avenue of prayer and fasting. When we employ and exercise this right something spiritual begins to transform. According to 2 Chronicles 7:14 the Word of God says If my people which are called by my name would humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. We have the power to turn culture around, but it will not happen without strategic intentionality. The world is relying on the church to exercise our right to open up the heavens to heal our land. We must value our right and exercise our right. I encourage you today to exercise your right as a child of God to make a difference in the world.