If the week’s political/financial news wasn’t enough to remind me how helplessly I observe the world, Saturday’s news about a prayer group in Texas put a big “period” at the end of the week. You may have heard the news and maybe don’t have any interest about what goes on in Texas. Other than being concerned about their drought and its affect on the farmers, I generally don’t care much about the state of the state.
The news actually was reported during the week that a group, The Family Research Council, was having a day of prayer at a church in Houston, Texas. There is plenty to pray for if you just think about the farmers and their plight. But, this group was holding a “Day of Prayer” to prayfor our country. Boy, do we ever need a National Day of Prayer. I confess to having prayed in my own personal prayer time that a leader would come forth and provide some direction for our nation. My expectation was someone would arise from the Washington political scene.
Heaven alone knows how many Christians and non-Christians are seeking help from Godfor our country. Maybe I should know better than to expect anything in the way of leadership to come out of Washington.
But, Texas?
It seems the governor of Texas, a man named Rick Perry, actually endorsed the Day of Prayer and attended it himself.
He even invited other governors to join him in Houston. The name Rick Perry meant absolutely nothing to me and I don’t know if he is a good governor or a lousy one.
There has been talk of him being presidential material as a Republican, but its source is probably a group of Texans who believed in George W.
Bush. When they showed Governor Perry on television, I thought he looked a lot like a young Ronald Reagan. When he spoke he reminded me of Ronald Reagan also.
Maybe, just maybe we have someone in politics that is bold enough to acknowledge that they believe America needs to redirect itself, and that is best done in a humble,prayerful state. When I heard the detractors and their complaints about church and state, etc., it further convinced me Governor Perry might be the one that can be recognized as a national inspiration. If he just wasn’t from Texas.
The number of political persons who have expressed their concern about his involvement in this activity further convinces me he is on the right spiritual track.
When atheists, agnostics, Muslims and Buddhists are free to demonstrate their spiritual beliefs surely a believer in Christianity can do the same - politics or no politics.
Our nation has a serious problem. It includes our economic woes, down-rated credit status and all. But morally we live in a society where anything goes: greed, corruption, X-rated television, etc. If we look at our failure to set a moral example for the world, and consume more natural resources per capita than any other nation in the world, how can we hope to survive as a world superpower?
Our standard of living is undoubtedly the envy of every nation on earth, but basically we are andhave been for long time, living on borrowed money. The time of reckoning is coming and a leader for our nation who bows his, or her, knee to seek direction from God (or a higher power if you don’t believe in GOD) may be the answer to our future.
If his name is Rick Perry, so be it - even if he is from Texas.
In my opinion (and I realize many will not agree and some will even be offended), it is time for all candidates for public office to clarify their spiritual belief, particularly those for the presidency. We have evidence of society after society, nation after nation, being led down the path to destruction through leadership’s failure at times like these in their own history. I believe this nation was establishedfor a GOD-given purpose and we stand at a crossroad in our destiny. If not Governor Perry, who will rise up to lead our nation?
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Editor’s note: Leo Lynch, a native of Benton County has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Opinion, Pages 4 on 08/10/2011