As we all know, this past week, our country elected Donald Trump as president. I know a lot of people this week will be writing about their opinions on the election results, but I cannot bring myself to talk any more about my thoughts on the election.
I will say, it is no secret that I did not support Trump, and the night of the election I was extremely unhappy. I was very angry and scared, but instead of going on social media, what I found myself doing the most was praying.
I was raised Southern Baptist, and I know that can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. To me, I am not a Southern Baptist, I am just a Christian. The denomination means very little to me. What it all boils down to is that I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and that he died on the cross for my sins.
That being said, since being in college, I have not been going to church like I should have been, I have not been reading my bible, and I have not been praying as I should, and I know that.
Sometimes you have to stray from God to realize what you have been missing.
This past week, I have been scared. Scared for my country, scared for minorities, for immigrants, for women, for every group that has been put down in this election. So, I have prayed, and I have realized that the only stable thing I have, the only answer to the hate that I despise so much, is the love of God.
This morning, I woke up and I tuned in to Calvary Road Baptist Church's morning service. This church is a church in my hometown, and the preacher is one of my old basketball coaches.
The sermon this morning was about the Garden of Gethsemane: the garden that Jesus prayed in before he was taken to be killed on the cross. John Swanger, the pastor, read from Mark: 14:32-24. He talked about how Jesus was in agony in the garden, and how he prayed to God, saying, "I want your will to be done, not mine." He also talked about how Jesus' disciples fell asleep in the garden, and Jesus implored them to stay awake.
The lesson in this scripture was that this world has turned from God in many ways, and as Christians, instead of spreading hate and "falling asleep," we need to be turning to God and praying, because only he has the love we need, and the help this world cries out for.
This sermon had me crying, because my heart is so heavy with all the hatred and indifference there is in this country and in the world, and I, like many others, have "fallen asleep," so to speak.
In Western North Carolina right now, we are experiencing drought and forest fires, and John Swanger suggested that it may be God trying to get our attention, and I agree. There is so much going on in this country that God is yelling, "WAKE UP!"
I respect all religions, these are just my personal views. Regardless of what religion you do or do not practice, regardless of race, sexuality, etc., we need to wake up as a country and come together to combat hate.
I will never stand for hate. I will be praying, I will be loving my fellow human being, and I will never, ever, fall asleep again.
