An Inaugural Prayer

Adapted from one of Peter Marshall's prayers for the Senate.

O Lord Our God, if ever we needed Thy wisdom and Thy guidance, it is now--as we stand upon the threshold of a new year, fraught with so many dangerous opportunities. We pray that Thou wilt bless this man chosen by the people of this nation, for Thou knowest him, his needs, his motives, his hopes, and his fears. Lord Jesus, put Thine arm around him and give him strength, and speak to him to give him wisdom greater than his won. May he hear Thy voice, and seek Thy guidance. May he remember that Thou are concerned about what is said and done here, and may he have clear conscience before Thee, that he need fear no man. Bless each of us according to our deepest need, and use us for Thy glory, we humbly ask in Jesus' name.

As I sit here listening to Obama's inaugural speech (a very good one), I am struck by a change in my reality. The hope that Obama describes is no longer my hope. I do sincerely pray that Obama can achieve and continue to espouse the ideals he proposed in this speech. But my ideals, while not entirely contradictory, cannot be won by the great efforts of a nation...or a President. Rather, they have already been achieved by one man, one God. My hope is not that we should work tirelessly to create and protect these great ideals, but that we should work tirelessly to proclaim the truth that these ideals have already been created and are available. Available in America...but more especially available in Afghanistan, and Iraq, and North Korea, and Columbia Colombia, and...and...and...

*NOTE: Curious about why "Columbia" came up as a legitimate spelling, I checked the definition: Columbia: America; the United States; -- a poetical appellation given in honor of Columbus, the discoverer. (from Webster) I consider this perhaps one of those wonderful unintended uses of language. :-)