look up, look around

Yesterday morning, as I was tidying up my kids bed mess - they slept on the floor, on couch pillows, in the family room...just because they can - I felt the Lord say, "I will not save America through a man, I will save America through My Church."

Now I prayed and voted for the man standing for morality and life, but all along I had a sense that Obama would probably win this election. And this is why - if McCain, our good ol' Republican "christian" would have won office, us Christians would more than likely sit back down on our butts and revel in our "Republican nation". Obama? If you're like me, he sends us to our knees like never before. In a sense, it is a wake up call.

But as I think about last night's poll results, I am not worried. I am totally and fully pumped and excited. Actually, Habakkuk says it well.

"Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen,
though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted,
though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,
I'm singing joyful praise to God.
I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!"
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message)

And I'm totally not lying to ya. I have such an excitement in my spirit, it's irrational. And I could use all kinds of scriptures to show you what I'm standing on. In fact, reallyniceday's preacher-hubby ministered at our church Sunday and proclaimed a message of hope that rocked. But here's just one passage and then a quote from "Celebration of Discipline" which I picked up and read first thing this morning.

"Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness,
BUT God rises on you, his sunrise glory breaks over you. Nations will come to your light, kings to your sunburst brightness. Look up! Look around!
Watch as they gather, watch as they approach you:"

Isaiah 60:1-4a (The Message)

It's time! It's time for the Church to shine in all her God-given beauty. As darkness continues to cover the earth, we will point to the Solution. And believe me, as the years progress, people are going to be looking for a solution. Actually, I preached from this verse once. Do you know that the beginning is refering to being a reflection of His glory. The light that pours through us is not us, but us being a mirror to reflect His light to the world. So cool. (I wanna be a mirror, eh?)

And "Celebration of Discipline"...

"In our day heaven and earth are on tiptoe waiting for the emergence of a Spirit-led, Spirit-intoxicated, Spirit-empowered, people. All of creation watches expectantly for the springing up of a disciplined, freely gathered, martyr people who know in this life the life and power of the kingdom of God. It has happened before. It can happen again."