What America Needs

By Gobel Brockman


I have a confession - I am a political junkie. I try to stay on top of current events in the world of government. I also actually enjoy Election Night (thus proving my complete 'nerdiness'). For years I've had my routine on the nights of Presidential elections that I probably will carry with me for the rest of my life: get home from work, have supper, fix a STRONG pot of coffee, totally ignore the phone, and plop myself in front of the TV news, watching as the election results begin to come in. (The fact that Indiana is usually the first to report election results gives me no small sense of pride.)

But as I have been watching things the past few years, a stark reality is beginning to sink in. We, as a nation, are in trouble. Serious trouble. I think everyone paying attention to things realizes that. Our monetary system is teetering on the brink of collapse. Unemployment numbers above 9%. Gas prices are, at best, unpredictable and volatile. Name the situation, and it's probably not looking good for us right now. And we watch as Republicans and Democrats both stand before us and tell us they know what the problem is - the other party.

But here's the point I want to make. The answer is simple. We, as a nation, have basically told God to 'get lost'. We took prayer out of schools, made it illegal to put HIS laws in OUR courtrooms, and murder babies in their mother's wombs by the thousands and call it 'choice'. A high school senior wanting to pray at his or her graduation makes national headlines. Then, when things like 9/11 happen, everyone wants to ask, 'Where was God?' Well, the thought that comes to my mind is that when you tell someone to go away, you forfeit your right to ask of their whereabouts.

Which leads me to the next problem. I believe that Christians should vote. I believe Christians should be INFORMED voters, knowing where candidates stand on the issues. But it troubles me when we as believers put too much of our hope and faith in the political process, political movements, and people in general. Let me put it this way:

America doesn't need  the church in politics as much as America needs the church back on its knees.

Neither successful business-minded people nor card-carrying Union members are going to save this country. We don't need liberals or conservatives to 'fix things'. Our problems are too big for that. What we need is simply a REVIVAL. A revival that causes us as Christians to get our hope off of things in this world and back in God. A revival where people realize that our nation will only be saved if GOD saves us. A revival where men and women stand behind pulpits and preach the truth - that the God who loved us so much that He gave His only Son that we might have hope also has said He will not always strive with man's sin, and judgement will eventually come. And I've yet to see a politician who can hold God back when He determines to act.

What does America need? II Chronicles 7:14 has the answer - "If My people, called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins, and heal their land."