Shortly following Jesus' death, resurrection and Ascension His disciples began to share the gospel.  Acts tells us they devoted themselves to prayer, the Apostle's teaching, community and the breaking of the bread.  Less than 300 years passed and Christianity had spread through the then known world.  Followers of Jesus endured intense persecution; yet, followers of Jesus grew in number steadily and rapidly.  They lived proclaiming Jesus is Lord in a culture that said Ceasar was lord.  Their lives were markedly different not because of a government pronouncement or edict or because the emperor was a Christian, but because they lived their profession.  Justin Martyr wrote, "We who ourselves used to have pleasure in impure things now cling to chastity alone.  Who dabbled in the area of magic now consecrate ourselves to the good and unbegotten of God.  We who formerly treasured money and possessions more than anything else now hand everything we have to a treasury for all and share it with everyone who needs it.  We who formerly hated and murdered one another and did not even share our hearth with those of a different tribe because of their customs, now, after Christ's apearance, live together and share the same table.  Now we pray for our enemies and try to win those who hate us unjustly so that they too may live in accordance with Christ's wonderful teachings, that they too may enter into the expectation, that they too may receive the same good things that we will recieve from God, the ruler of the universe." (Justin, First Apology 14.)

There lives showed the power of Jesus to transform lives.  Even as Jesus walked this earth there were those that tried to make Him king right now and establish an earthly kingdom.  Jesus would have none of it but simply say things like, "The kingdom is in you," or "The kingdom is here," or "My kingdom is not of this world."  Somehow - I wish I knew why - we want an earthly kingdom - an earthly establishment of power. 

But as history shows power does not come from a privileged status given by a government but it comes from people living according to that which they profess.  In quoting Justin Martyr I am not suggesting that all we need to do is to do the things they did.  Rather we need to be the kind of people they were.  We need to be the kind of people who show by our fruit that Jesus is alive.  Having a "Christian" president or governemt doesn't prove anything and it continues to perpetuate the lie that the problem is somewhere out there or with someone else.  Does the religious right actually believe that having a Christian president will solve the divorce rate among conservative Christian, or the murder and violence that is on the rise or the rise in teenage prgancy and suicide?  The answer lies not with looking to the government but to ourselves and asking this question, "Is my life proof that Jesus is alive?" 

I pray for our governement and I pray for the season of politics we are in that God will raise up leaders who are courageous to stand for what is right, bold enough to call wrong wrong, wise enough to see the right direction, humble enough to be corrected, and faithful in the duties they are elected to.  And ultimately I pray this prayer over myself for how could I want others to do what I am not willing to do. 

Reclaiming citizenship, history and faith will not come through a government edict or having a Christian president or having all of the justices of the supreme court being pro-life.  It will come if we can write about our lives as Justin Martyr wrote abouth theirs. 

If the present religious right were around in Constantine's day they would have celebrated their victory and believed that they had arrived.  Look at history and witness the downfall of Christianity when it holds a priviedged and popular status.  I wonder if we will ever learn?