While all our attention is focused on the election today, one that is momentous, to say the least, the rest of the world goes along its not so merry way. An Israeli court ruled that a military information leak to Netanyahu imperiled the release of hostages, and, true to form, Bibi complained that he was always being singled out. I wonder why.
Then there’s Ukraine. Now with more than 10,000 North Korean troops alongside Putin’s army, at least there’s no mistaking which side they are on. Pushing further into the Donbas, local residents are trying to flee, much like Finns fleeing Karelia in the 1940s when the odds were so overwhelming.
And we can’t forget Sudan and Somalia, still in the midst of terrible fighting. China, too, looms on the horizon, destroying Vietnamese fishing boats and building islands in the South China Sea. No wonder we’re focused on the election today. The results will influence these and other conflicts and alliances.
Prayer for the Day
It seems every election is momentous, O God,
But this one seems different from others;
Remembering a time when three was less invective,
We pray for calm in the midst of turmoil.
Help us to rebuild a sense of community among us,
Even as we have differing visions of our country.
In the name of the One who can calm the troubled soul,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Every citizen of this country should be guaranteed that their vote matters, that their vote is counted, and that in the voting booth, their vote has as much weight as that of any CEO, any member of Congress or any President.
Barbara Boxer, former U.S. Senator and Representative, California
It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting.
Tom Stoppard, American playwright
Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land!
Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors?
Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children,
And their children another generation.
Joel 1: 2-3