Scripture: For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God (Romans 13:1 NLT).

In the 17th century, a movement spread throughout European Christianity called Pietism. This emphasized personal transformation through spiritual rebirth and renewal, individual devotion, and piety. All were excellent goals, but the pietists also believed in withdrawing from public life. Christianity and politics were seen as incompatible. This philosophy influenced the church for about a hundred years and still infects some Christian thinking today.

Our Founding Fathers, most of differing Christian faiths, came together to pray for our nation’s freedom and threw all they had into the effort. Their example should still inspire us to pursue an individual relationship with God, while also working hand in hand with other Christians to influence our society.

Every day, our nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage is being more assaulted. We see a terrible spiritual darkness encroaching. It’s tempting to turn our eyes away from the news channels. But at a time like this, when our nation is falling apart, Christians should not only keep aware of our leaders’ actions, but also get involved. We can all support those believers who are called to political office.

Ninety million Christians in America are eligible to vote, but as many as forty million fail to vote in Presidential election cycles. And fifteen million are not even registered to vote, according to the My Faith Votes website.

The moral direction of our nation is something Christians should be very vocal about. As Edmund Burke, the great English statesman of the 18th century, said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Prayer: Father God, please give us the courage to stand for Your righteousness and make our voices heard. In Jesus’s name.