I said to Dave last fall

“I don’t know if you can be a conservative Republican and be a Christian.”

And then I laughed {at my very funny self} at even the {very scandalous} thought of it because, really, almost all of us pre-labeled (whether rightly or not) “evangelical,” “conservative” sorts have believed quite the opposite.   Please have grace for me when I say that the American church political stream of thinking has almost become that you can either trust in Jesus fully for salvation, or be a card-carrying Republican conservative and still get to heaven.  Ouch!  No stones, please, I implore you!

Feels like this:

“Hate the sin, love the sinner – but only if the sinner is part of our political party. “

I just don’t like that.  As political-engines rev up for an election year, I thank God for the country I was born in.  I am grateful to be a citizen and for the opportunity to vote and shoulder responsibility for being a blessing and strength in this nation, and for abiding by its’ laws and upholding its’ ideals.  But I remain cognizant: I am just alien in a foreign land.  I come from another Kingdom.  This is not my native soil.  I am just passing through briefly.

This world is not my home…

We are…”transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.” Hebrews 11.13-16 The Message

I do have opinions.  I do vote and I do pray.  For our leaders.  Whether I elected them or not.  And I do wish they’d listen to me more often, naturally.  But God does {listen to me!}.  So-you know.  I am doing ok.