Surpassing Worth

The New Lincoln? The New Eisenhower? The New Roosevelt? The New Reagan? Is Barack Obama all these things? Is he the fulfillment of the dreams of a certain doctor who gave a speech in the shadows of Lincoln’s memorial? Is he the promised liberator of America?

All these things have been stirring in our news, on our blogs, and on the pages of of our books. Some say Obama is the the hope of our nation. Others say that Obama is the fulfillment of a dream and a vision of the better future. And in the midst of all this speculation and forecasting, I can’t help but to think about what it must have been like in the 1st century. The Israelites had experienced the rule of faulty kings and leaders for centuries. And through it all, they had heard all the rumors and put their hope in one final perfect leader that would be the hope of their nation. All of Israel was waiting with bated breath for this Messiah.

Judging from what our nation is currently going through, I can’t help but to think how much more escalated the anticipation was when there were spreading stories of a man that was fulfilling these great promises, visions, and dreams. A man born in the small city of Bethlehem that their great King David was born in. A man that spoke prophetically and mightily like a certain prophet Moses, who God used to liberate their ancestors. A man that proclaimed to be the son of Adam, who was created by the very breath of God. A man that performed the great miracles of a once revered prophet Elijah. A man that fulfilled all the predictions of the Law and the Prophets. His name was Jesus.

Imagine all the questions that were swirling around the cities and towns in those years. Was he really our coming deliverer? Was he to be our protector? Will he finally end our oppression? Will he make our name great?! And imagine the deep sorrow and broken dreams of those that stood in the wake of this pronounced Messiah as he hung on that tree. But those with the eyes of faith knew that this was yet another fulfillment of that which God had planned from the beginning. And they were assured that he indeed was the Son of God! Jesus was the Christ, the Anointed One – Israel’s Messiah.

I’m not certain how Obama’s presidency will pan out, but I know for sure that there is a man named Jesus that fulfilled all that God said he would do. He comes not only to restore one nation, but He came to inaugurate His Kingdom, which included all the nations. Obama is merely a shifting shadow in the brief history of the world, but Jesus is the true king who will claim his rightful place on the throne forever.

sometimes history, as it’s unfolding, is easy to miss.

things always look clearer in the rear view mirror.

but it’s to the gain of the astute mind to realize when they should take a moment to stop.

look around.

take it all in.

because this moment will never again come back.

you are living in the now, when history itself is being forged into the halls of knowledge.

you can read about it when you’re old and gray.

just don’t miss that opportunity to see it for yourself.

Short for “Web Log”, blogs have nestled into our mainstream culture. No longer the hobby of dorky computer geeks and 40-somethings that still live with their moms, blogs are becoming more and more of a medium for creative outlet. Everyone from Barack Obama to Lupe Fiasco has a blog now. In sort of a rebellion to traditional information feeds such as the newspaper, evening news broadcasts, & popular magazines, people are finding their own means of reporting what’s important to them, and acquiring an ear with who ever is willing to listen. It’s exciting that technology allows us to have such outlets for expression, but it’s also very disconcerting when you realize the amount of “junk” that’s out there for the public to consume. In an age where we’re encouraged to dialog and question all things, the blog has provided the perfect avenue for public conversation & the collective sharing of experiences. To leave this conversation one-sided is a shame though, so I believe it to be the call of Christians to immerse themselves in this sort of emerging culture and be influential members. I believe it to be the calling of some to reach the world through mediums such as this. As some might liken it, Christians are not only to swim upstream to counter culture, but be the source from which culture flows in order to transform it. And as Paul wrote letters to preach the Gospel of Christ to all the world, let us use the medium of blogging for the advancement of the Gospel throughout the world.

2 Thessalonians 3:17, “I, Paul write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

If you’ve been in the vicinity of America or in hearing distance of any media source, you’ll know that we’re in an election year. Even if you’ve removed yourself far from society, you’ve probably still heard the buzz. It’s almost like the publicity a much anticipated heavy-weight bout would receive. And in some ways, it has been just that, a match of two political heavyweights. You’ve got the classic veteran who’s political savvy & expertise has earned her merit in the ring. And in the other corner, you’ve got the newcomer, who’s win streak is near record breaking and doesn’t seem like it’s going to let up. One’s on fire and the other’s been consistently hot. It’s both exciting and scary how “popular” politics can get. Take for example the media that’s backing Obama. You have youTubers, facebook groups, and hollywood stars backing the young up and comer. While Clinton maintains more conservative means of campaigning, she still has her technological edginess with online town hall meetings. Either way, politics hasn’t been this exciting, well ever since I was born.

From the looks of things, it looks like the front runner as of today is Obama. He’s definitely got a lot going for him. Not only does he possess a good-looking, charming demeanor, but he also has an incredible way with his words. They have a way of giving people a hope that they haven’t received from anyone in a long time. In a day when words hardly mean anything, Obama has managed to base a large part of his campaign on his word. But should I be won over simply because he can speak well and convince me he’s going to change our country? I’m not sure. I am definitely convinced of his passion, it’s almost palpable, but I’m not yet convinced on his procedures and follow through. He’s largely untested, yet surprisingly believable. That’s the paradox of Obama. He’s yet to really do anything, but you believe him when he says he will.

One thing of particular importance for a Christian voting in any election is the understanding of the candidates and their stance on certain issues. In this case, I’ll bring light only one, abortion. Now with Obama, it’s clear, he supports it. He is as pro-choice as any candidate in the race. So as a Christian, how do you vote? Do you vote for the man you believe can change your country’s course or a man with upright moral standing on issues close to the heart of God. Can we overlook an issue such as abortion, in favor of someone that might bring hope to a hopeless country? Reading the below letter was helpful and makes me think; words can never gloss over a man’s convictions. (read Joshua Harris’ response to this)

Dear Senator Obama: As an immigrant from Kenya, your father found new hope in America’s noble principles and vast opportunities. The same promise brought my parents here from Egypt when I was still too young to thank them. Now you have inspired my generation with your vision of a country united around the same ideals of liberty and justice, “filled with hope and possibility for all Americans.”

But do you mean it?

As a legislator, you have opposed every effort to protect unborn human life. Shockingly, you even opposed a bill to protect the lives of babies who, having survived an attempted abortion, are born alive. Despite your party’s broad support for legal abortion and its public funding, most Democrats (including Senator Clinton) did not oppose the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. You, however, opposed it. Your vision of America seems to eliminate “hope and possibility” for a whole class of Americans: the youngest and most vulnerable. You would deny them the most basic protection of justice, the most elementary equality of opportunity: the right to be born.

As a prerequisite for any other right, the right to life is the great civil-rights issue of our time. It is what slavery and segregation were to generations past. Our response to this issue is the measure of our fidelity to a defining American principle: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life.”

You have asked me to vote for you. In turn, may I ask you three simple questions? They are straightforward questions of fact about abortion. They are at the heart of the debate. In fairness, I believe that you owe the people you would lead a good-faith answer to each:

1. The heart whose beating is stilled in every abortion — is it a human heart?
2. The tiny limbs torn by the abortionist’s scalpel — are they human limbs?
3. The blood that flows from the fetus’s veins — is it human blood?

If the stopped heart is a human heart, if the torn limbs are human limbs, if the spilled blood is human blood, can there be any denying that what is killed in an abortion is a human being? In your vision for America, the license to kill that human being is a right. You have worked to protect that “right” at every turn. But can there be a right to deny some human beings life or the equal protection of the law?

Of course, some do deny that every human being has a right to life. They say that size or degree of development or dependence can make a difference. But the same was once said of color. Some say that abortion is a “necessary evil.” But the same was once said of slavery. Some say that prohibiting abortion would only harm women by driving it underground. But to assume so is truly to play the politics of fear. A compassionate society would never accept these false alternatives. A compassionate society would protect both mother and child, coming to the aid of women in need rather than calling violence against their children the answer to their problems.

Can we become a society that does not sacrifice some people to help others? Or is that hope too audacious? You have said that abortion is necessary to protect women’s equality. But surely we can do better. Surely we can build an America where the equality of some is not purchased with the blood of others. Or would that mean too much change from politics as usual?

Can we provide every member of the human family equal protection under the law? Your record as a legislator gives a resounding answer: No, we can’t. That is the answer the Confederacy gave the Union, the answer segregationists gave young children, the answer a complacent bus driver once gave a defiant Rosa Parks. But a different answer brought your father from Kenya so many years ago; a different answer brought my family from Egypt some years later. Now is your chance, Senator Obama, to make good on the spontaneous slogan of your campaign, to adopt the more American and more humane answer to the question of whether we can secure liberty and justice for all: Yes, we can.

Sherif Girgis on National Review Online

“I’m skinny, but I’m tough. I’m wiry. Don’t mess with me! Let ‘em bring it on. Who they got? John McCain?!” Barack Obama

Primaries today: Hawaii, Washington, Wisconsin

Bill Mitchell

look! he blinks.