Maybe it’s time to pray

October 10, 2016

My Monday readers are a diverse bunch. Most are Americans, but not all. Adults, but with differing generational affiliations. Boomers; Busters; Millennials: we each bring nuances from our particular seasonal tribe into this conversation…

Most never saw the name “Ronald Reagan” on a ballot; many were under-aged when he won his bid for a second term in 1984 with 58% of the national vote – and 525 of 538 electoral votes – which exposed a level of national unity we may never – ever – see again.

Last night, two candidates worked to woo the undecided, hoping to prevail when the ballots are counted in a few weeks. Undoubtedly, some inflammatory lines will be quoted today from last night’s sparring match; most will be forgotten after the dust settles after November 8th.

Someday, Jesus will be the Head of the Government; we don’t have a perfect candidate until He returns. In the meantime, we’re longing for Heaven as a residence, and the King of Heaven as a Leader. For now, we have neither.

In the midst of this dark and difficult time of decision, allow me to recall some great insights – from various moments – from the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan:

“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”

“Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face.”

“Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.”

“We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much”

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.”

“Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong.”

“Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.”

“I made a speech by that title – ‘A Time for Choosing’ – in 1964. I said, ‘We’ve been told increasingly that we must choose between left or right.’ But we’re still using those terms – left or right. And I’ll repeat what I said then in ’64. ‘There is no left or right. There’s only an up or down:’ up to the ultimate in individual freedom, consistent with an orderly society – or down to the totalitarianism of the ant heap. And those today who, however good their intentions, tell us that we should trade freedom for security are on that downward path.”

“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”

“We are never defeated unless we give up on God.”

Our choices are very different this time, but my job in the American system is to vote in a few weeks. May God preserve America.

Bob Shank