Is an Obama Presidency Inevitable?
By Kimberly Cash Tate
I received a mass-distributed e-mail the other day from a Christian sister, apprising those of us on the list of a charitable opportunity. What was the cause? Some disadvantaged boys were raising money to attend the presidential inauguration in January. Perhaps you’re wondering if this stems from a civics course, such that it doesn’t matter who wins the election; the boys would want to attend either way. Uh…no. The boys—and this Christian sister—have apparently handed the election to Senator Barack Obama. The only thing that stands between them and an Obama inauguration is the funds to get there!
A great many are convinced that this is Obama’s year, and why not? The Democrats are super-charged about their history-making candidate; many Republicans are yawning at theirs. Young people will likely turn out in droves to vote in favor of Obama; many tried-and-true conservatives are talking about sitting this one out. And what about the media? Obama’s got the big guns of network and cable news fawning over him; McCain had to do a video spoof of the love-fest a couple of weeks ago just to get attention.
Even Obama himself seems to think this is his year. In a Washington Post article this week, the writer called him the “presumptuous nominee” because of his recent “presidential-style world tour” and his “presidential” behavior of late in Washington, which included, among other interesting things, shutting down traffic as he went about town in a “long, presidential-style motorcade.”
We might as well admit it’s a done deal. An Obama victory is inevitable. Give up the fight. Call it quits. Shut down the blog. Try again in 201—
Well, hold it. All of that might be true if I didn’t know about two little words: But God.
There was a time when Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, gathered a mighty army and surrounded the city of Samaria in Israel (2 Kings 6:24). They besieged the city with such force that a great famine came upon the land. There was nothing they could do. One woman boiled her son so she and another woman could eat, then got mad when the other woman wouldn’t boil hers. The king of Israel was powerless, walking around in sackcloth, unable to change the course of events.
But God…
Without any help from anyone, He turned it around. He caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots and horses, so that they thought a great army of the Hittites or the Egyptians was coming upon them. They fled for their lives and Israel got the victory (2 Kings 6:6-7).
And then there was the time when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came against King Hezekiah and the fortified cities of Judah and seized them (Isaiah 36:1). Sennacherib’s messenger, backed by a large Assyrian army, sent word to Hezekiah that he might as well give up. The Assyrians had already destroyed Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, the sons of Eden, the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Separvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah (Isaiah 37:12-13). Jerusalem too would be given into their hands, they said.
But God…
After Hezekiah prayed to the true and living God, God responded in a mighty way. The people of God didn’t have to lift a finger. The angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 men in the Assyrian army. By morning, they were all dead. Sennacharib had told Judah to give up; but he was the one who was sent packing (Isaiah 37:36-37).
And we all remember Goliath. He was the giant star of the Philistine army that was gathered for battle against Israel (1 Samuel 17). Every morning and evening for forty days, he taunted the army of Israel, telling them to choose a man for him to fight. The men of Israel fled, sorely afraid. What hope did they have? Clearly, no one in Israel’s army could match this giant. Not a single man could beat him.
But God…
He had already anointed David…and David knew his God. He was indignant that Goliath would mock the people of God. “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” David said (1 Samuel 17:26).
With a sling and five smooth stones, David approached the giant. Goliath thought he had a lot of nerve. Who did this boy think he was to come against him? But David said, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted” (1 Samuel 17:45). Then David said these awesome words: “[T]he Lord does not deliver by sword or spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47). And the Lord did. One stone struck Goliath square in the forehead and he was defeated.
The Arameans thought victory was inevitable and they were defeated. The Assyrians thought victory was inevitable and they were defeated. Goliath thought victory was inevitable and he was defeated. With God, it doesn’t matter how much strength is amassed on the other side or how many victories they’ve already won. It doesn’t matter how bleak the circumstances or how stacked the deck. God is able in one night or with one stone to bring about His will.
The morality of this nation is under siege, and it appears we may lose the fight. The other side is already poised for celebration. But we know better than to give up. Like Hezekiah, we will pray to the true and living God. Like David, we understand that the battle is the Lord’s. If He grants us mercy, we may just watch on election night as the nation sits in shock…that is, everyone but those of us who knew about two little words: But God.
Kimberly Cash Tate is founder and president of Colored in Christ International, Inc., a nonprofit ministry. www.kimberlycashtate.com
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