YES WE CAN!

“Yes we can” is one of the most powerful and effective political slogans in American history. It has brought about a great deal of change even before the change it promised has even begun. The power of that change is that people believe they can. I appreciate that President Obama has caused people to believe that truth.

Obama has brought these words to life for many people in our nation. Simply reading through the Facebook status updates of Inauguration Day caused me to realize the hope that many people now have. The truth is that we can. We can make a difference. America can change the world. I love that we have a president that is causing people to believe in the power of the people.

There is one thing about this that is very different for me though. I realized from some of the rhetoric on facebook that many people went from “No we can’t” to “Yes we can” because of the election of just one man. The fact that we can is not new. We always could. I am glad your hope is restored. I am glad that you believe in the better good that can be accomplished, but there is something that this huge shift shows about us that is not good. In the midst of your new found hope I have a challenge for you and I pray you will take the time to consider it.

I challenge you to become a person that believes we can not because another man says so. George Bush is not at fault for you being a person that did not have hope 2 days or 5 months ago. Here is the truth that you must realize. George Bush failed at many things – and you lost hope. Barak Obama will fail, too. Will you lose hope again? If his economic plan fails, will you lose hope? If he does not deliver on an ideal he spoke about during election – will you no longer believe? President Obama will see many successes during his presidency and he will also make some poor decisions. Why do I believe that? Barak Obama is simply a man. He is human. I believe he can do some great things, but he is not the savior of our nation. He is just the president of it.

I am glad that there is a generation rising up with hope and energy and excitement and patriotism. The challenge is stop being a person that is so easily swayed by the elections of men. Make this hope and belief your life, not just a moment in it. Obama will do some good and he will do some bad and his leadership will end within 8 years. Will your hope end again? Or will you accept the challenge to change where your hope is found?

Truth is I am no more hopeful today that I was yesterday. I honestly did not need a change in hope. I have always believed we could. (That statement is not meant to be a boast.) The failures of George Bush (which were many) never caused me to lose hope. Our economic situation has never caused me to think that we couldn’t. The successes of Barak Obama have not caused me to think we can – I already thought that.

If you do not mind I will share with you why I already thought that. My hope is not in the people put in power by popular opinion. My hope and trust is not in the United States of America. My hope and trust is in Jesus Christ. You might think that is just religious rhetoric – but it is true. The only point I can make to you is this – why were you hopeless and fearful a few months ago and are not today. The truth is that your life is too easily swayed. Mine is not. My hope is in this truth, “that he who began a good work in me will carry to completion in that day.” That day represents the day in which there will be no more days. I am ready for that day because I am ready for today. I am ready for today because of what Jesus Christ did yesterday and the day before and the day before and the day… You get the picture.

I am glad you believe we can. I am excited to see our nation excited, but I challenge you to change. Change the fact that you are so easily changed. I pray you will find your hope and peace in Jesus Christ (I believe him to be the only source of such peace and hope.) That is my prayer for you. It is my prayer for our nation.

Even if you do not agree with my spiritual beliefs accept the challenge to never become a “no we can’t” person again. That is not the fault of the failures and successes of our presidents. That is your fault. Stand up with our nation and say “Yes we can” and never sit back down. We can make a difference – we always could.

My Prayer for Today:

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this wonderful day. Thank you for our new president Barak Obama. I pray you will empower President Obama to make right decisions and to lead our nation wisely. I pray you will protect him from all enemies foreign and domestic. I pray you will guard his spirit and his mind from the attacks of his enemies. I pray you will give him success in his leadership and power to his steps.
I thank you for the hope and energy that our nation has today. I thank you that people are seeing past themselves for the first time in a long time. I pray, however, Lord, that you will help people see past the president, too. I pray that people will find the real hope that exists in you. The hope you have given me. I pray that they will find the strength that exists in one another. I pray that our nation will never lose hope again. Cause us to become people who do not rise and fall so easily with the popular opinion of others.
Lord, I ask that today you bless this nation. Bless us fresh and new. Give us hope that is unchanging. Give is love that is unfailing. Give us peace that does not fail.
Lord, I ask that today you will give us you. That will you continue to give us Jesus, the only one that can change us. Give us your power and truth and may we live in the strength of it.
I ask the things in the name that is above all names, the name of Jesus,

AMEN