Taking the Mantle

In 1st Chronicles chapter 12, we read about the men who assisted David in his struggle against King
Saul:
21 And they helped David against the bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army.
22 For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God.
23 Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

There is a list found there and in verse 32, we see listed:

32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command...

There were many who came to David's aid, who were bold and courageous and stood with him. Numbered among them were those men of understanding, from the tribe of Issachar, the ones who understood the times.  We can be challenged to be discerning, to understand the challenges that we face today, and see that there is a Biblical perspective that can be applied to current events, and that God will use us as we dare stand in His wisdom and His strength.  

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In Psalm 33, we can read some words about the sovereignty of God, Who takes great interest in the
direction and decisions of nations:
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

As I have continued to report, Franklin Graham is criss-crossing the country in the Decision America Tour 2016, eventually holding prayer meetings at state capitals in all 50 states.   He provides a number of cornerstone messages, including praying for our nation and praying for repentance, the importance of voting, and...the prospect of Christian people running for office.   Graham was in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota last week and will travel to Oregon, Washington, and Alaska next week.

While it's not apparent whether or not they are inspired by Mr. Graham, there are more than 200 pastors who have made the bold step of running for political office, according to CBN News, which ran a story on some of their efforts.

One of the pastors highlighted is Rob McCoy of Calvary Chapel, who decided to run for City Council in Thousand Oaks, California. He explained: "I'm in exile in my own state and my own nation and this is a directive that God gave me, praying for the peace of the city locally." In the CBN News piece, McCoy invoked the Biblical story of Shammah, whose job was to defend a small lentil bean patch against the Philistines. McCoy said, "You can change the city council. You can change the school board. You can make a difference right where you are. You can affect your schools; you can affect your sports teams. You have the ability to affect your Kiwanis, your rotary. Change your bean patch. Quit whining."

The article says:

Charlotte pastor Mark Harris is running for Congress in North Carolina. Others, like Oklahoma pastor Paul Blair, are starting at the state level. Many of them are seeking help to get started.

The American Renewal Project holds "Issachar Training Sessions" across the country. In the Old Testament, the men of Issachar understood the serious times they lived in and took action for Israel.

California Assemblywoman Shannon Grove told CBN News: "I want you to know that it doesn't take experience; it doesn't take qualifications. God will call you and if you are called, He will qualify you." Grove posed the question, "Do you think that if people on your deacon board or pastoral board were serving on the school board that you would be discussing same-sex bathrooms?"

U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma spent 15 years in the Southern Baptist ministry before running for Congress. He said, "While some people try and paint it as extraordinary, it's not. It's actually a very normal American thing – people who love our country and who love God and love other people to get engaged in the political process. I'm excited it's happening. It should be a conversation that's bubbling up around the country."

Well, God may not be calling you to run for office, but then on the other hand, He may be.  We have an important responsibility to obey the call of God, and to recognize that He has specific duties for you to do at particular times, so that His Kingdom may be established.  So, consider first of all, how God can possibly use you.

We can also think together about the nature of the political system and how it would change if Godly people took the initiative to seek political office.   What if Godly men and women were in the position to speak truth to power and to even take the power of a governmental office and infuse it with the power of God.  In a society that seems to be short of solutions, the Bible offers credible and workable answers.

Finally, we have to make sure we know ultimately where, or in Whom, our hope lies.  The political system can be a catalyst for change, not the total answer, but God will use people of faith who dare to participate.   If we believe things need to change (and they do), we can rely on God to use His people to help bring about change - in hearts, in systems, and in the direction of our government.