We put away childish things...

This morning I woke up like every other. I had no groggy idea that an inauguration was in full swing until I overheard my landlord outside talking to the pool man.

"Ya gonna run home to watch?" he asked.
"I wouldn't watch that man if I were a ---"

(Hard to guess which party they voted for no?)

That small exchange reminded me to turn on the news in time to hear Rick Warren's prayer and see a sea of audience members' eye wandering followed next by Biden's swearing in and Aretha's anthem. I decided to do some light chores until the real action, and when Mr. Obama took the pulpit for his first speech as our new President, something he said struck me hard.

He said "Scripture says that we are to put away childish things..." and he related that to our country, to government, to the economy... it was an eloquent speech I suppose, but I had no idea what he was talking about because I was so hung up on the mis-representation of that scripture. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is talking specifically about our relationship with Christ. He's talking about God's Love, and the depth and wonder of it- how our understanding of that Love will increase and mature as we strive to follow Him, and then finally be fully fulfilled when we see Him face to face in Heaven.

After Obama's speech the news reporters struggled over that line too, each giving their own interpretation of what they thought the President meant by that. Maybe some of their conjectures were close to what Obama was shooting for... maybe... but I wondered if anyone actually got the real meaning behind that passage from the way Mr. Obama used it in his speech, and if not, then did it even remotely belong in there?

(Well, it pointed me back to the Bible that is for sure, so maybe it accomplished what it was supposed to do.)

Online I read the following thoughts from Mart DeHaan and the main objective became clear.

Whoever our President is, whatever he says or does, he is no more and no less
than a man that God is using to accomplish his purpose.

And that is what should always be pointing us back to Christ. That is how we put away childish things. By remembering to pray for the people God allows to come to power, and to pray for them. Blue team or Red team or anything else.

I won't rely on my President to interpret or teach me scripture. I have an amazing church and an understanding of the Bible to do that.... but I will remember the kind of faith that Paul expressed and wrote about in the Bible. And keep focused on the real and ultimate prize- that is Jesus Christ as my savior.

May God truly Bless America. No matter what comes next.