Justin March leads the Bethany Lutheran Church Men’s Ministry and sends a weekly email message to the Men’s group every week.  Justin has generously permitted us to post his weekly reflections here.

The race is over. The
votes have come in, and a winner has been proclaimed. Some people will be
happy, and some will not. Some will stand behind the philosophies, agendas, and
ideals of the new regime, and some will not. Some will believe that love,
acceptance, and unity can be accomplished, and some will not. And some will be
motivated, excited, and ready to get to work, and some will not.

 There will come a time
when our “votes” truly matter on this earth. There will come a time when a
winner has been proclaimed. There will come a time when the devoted, the
forgiving, the gracious, the loving, and the generous are rewarded. And there
will come a time when the battle between two candidates is nothing like we have
ever experienced.

 There will be no more
term limits. There will be no more voting. There will be no more arguing over
philosophies, agendas, or ideals. There will be one choice to make. You will
choose love, kindness, forgiveness, grace, and generosity, or you will choose
hate, loathing, greed, persecution, and wickedness. You will have the freewill
to choose any way you like, but the results have already been established. One
leads to a life full of God’s riches, mercy, and undying love, and one leads to
torture, pain, and uncomfortable temperatures. You will have the chance to make
that final choice.

 The time to prepare is
now. We are not campaigning to run for a certain term limit. We are not campaigning
to instill our own agendas. We are simply being asked to do God’s work. We have
been given the necessary tools to be His hands and feet. We have been given the
grace to accept those that are not like us. We have been forgiven so that we
too can forgive others. And we are unconditionally loved with the faith that we
will love one another as well.

 There will come a time
when unity is achieved. Agendas will be erased, philosophies will be proven,
and the work will be rewarded. The prophecies of the Bible will come to life,
and the truths will be revealed. There will be no more voting, and the
arguments will end. The race will be over, and a winner proclaimed. Some people
will be happy, and some will not. Some will have put in the necessary work, and
some will not. And some will choose to follow, and some will not.

 God’s people will come
together, and the celebration will be grand. The journey will be over. The
divisions we lived with will be erased, the hatred squashed, and the pain
eradicated. Our leader will live up to His promises, bring us close, and let
love prevail once and for all. So, read your Bibles, say your prayers, and do
God’s work! There will come a day when the voting is over, the race is won, and
the rewards handed out. And the only division left will be a life full of
glory, or a life full of suffering. Listen to His messages, follow His path,
and share His story with any ear willing to listen. Only one “vote” will count,
and it will be a glorious day when we all come together and follow the only
candidate that ever mattered!