Ah, hope, sweet hope!

My new job causes me to engage on a daily basis with American sisters and brothers. Some of them are older, some are younger, some are conservative and other liberal in their religious and political outlooks.

But, the one thing that seems to be a common characteristic among all of the persons that I have had the chance to speak to is the sense of HOPE for the future of America!

This website, flickr, one of my favourite websites has been asking people to post pictures with a message for the president elect. Here's a collage of a few of them.

I pray that Obama will exceed all of our very high expectations! And that if he is not able to reach quite so high, that we will have the grace to celebrate what is good and the courage to challenge what is not.

Comments

[Aaron Walsh]

Dion,

I would love to hear your thoughts on Obama's social justice slant. Especially in light of his continual refusal to defend the life of the unborn. To me that is a primary injustice that needs to be defeated.

Aaron

[digitaldion (Dion Forster)]

Hi Aaron,

Always great to hear from you! Thanks so much for the comment. Of course you're correct, there are this, and many others issues, that will require further pressure and input from Christians! I guess it would be naive to think that any political dispensation that is currently in power will have lasting and complete solutions to the problems of evil, suffering, and sin in the world.

Of course you are also right that there are not 'levels' of injustice in God's economy - an abuse of any part God's creation (or person in God's creation) is a fundamental violation of God's perfect will. This requires our living and concrete action in order to bring about a more just and righteous situation to bear.

Somehow, and perhaps it is a mistaken, ill informed, and prejudicial notion, I do feel that the new presidency has an opportunity to move closer to how things should be (certainly in terms of the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the earth's relationship to other nations and territories). But, I do not naively think that this president will be without major fault and flaws.

I continue to pray for them, even as I pray for the corruption within my own self.

Together with you in Christ,

Dion