Inaugurations and anniversaries

This week has seen the inauguration of a new president, and the hope of change in the air. I have to side with Jon Stewart in this instance, however (watch here), that the words are just words no matter who says them, and what has been said so far hardly constitutes change. (And see a brilliant commentary on President Obama's words here.)

This week also sees another anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, with its ensuing slaughter of innocents. Unfortunately, President Obama has weighed in with action on this already. While President Obama's defense and promotion of abortion comes as no surprise, I am saddened to see this as one of his first official acts. It causes me to fall on my face before God and ask for mercy for our nation, and guidance for our President. It is difficult to see a man who is being hailed as a great milestone of healing in our country begin his term with promoting slaughter of the defenseless.

And yet, I am praying for President Obama. As it says in proverbs, the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord, so I am not without hope. I agree with what Os Guiness said in USA today:

My own desired outcome would be for all Americans to face up to the reality of our culture warring impasse, dig deep in our spiritual and historical resources, and work together with the president for a painful reconciliation and the possibility of a "new, new birth of freedom." A city on a hill, as Jesus of Nazareth said long before John Winthrop and Ronald Reagan, "cannot be hidden." The world watches and waits to see whether what our Founders called the "new order of the ages" can still live up to its promise in this stirring new day.

(Read the whole thing here.)

In an interesting discussion of the inauguration, the safe landing of Flight 1549 on the Hudson, and the patience of God, Pastor John Piper says:

As much as I reject Obama’s stance on abortion, I am thankful to the bottom of my soul that an African-American can be President of United States. The enormousness of it all is unspeakable. This is God’s doing. The geese were God’s doing. The landing of Flight 1549 was God’s doing. And the Obama presidency is God’s doing. “He removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21).

And I pray that President Obama has eyes to see. The “miracle on the Hudson” and the “miracle in the White House” are not unrelated. God has been merciful to us as a nation. Our racial sins deserved judgment a thousand times over. God does not owe America anything. We owe him everything. And instead of destruction, he has given us another soft landing. We are not dead at the bottom of the Hudson.

O that Barack Obama would see the mercies of God and look to the One whose blood bought everlasting life for all who trust him. The parables of God’s mercy are everywhere. The point of them is this: God is a just and patient Ruler, and Jesus Christ is a great Savior. Turn. Turn. Turn, O President of the United States and passengers of this planet.

(Read the whole thing here.)

Amen and amen.