The Morning After     11/5/2008
A word for you and the leaders in your state
By Kenda Bartlett

Editor's Note: This was sent from Kenda Bartlett, Concerned Women for America's National Field Director, to our state leaders across the country and we offer it to you, our readers, supporters and friends as an encouragement.

Yes, it is the morning after. The responses to last night's election results have been varied - everything from "I'm moving to Alaska" to "This too shall pass." I wanted to share some of my thoughts with you as we enter a new season in the life of this country. Any of you that have known me for very long have heard me say, "God has always worked through the few and not the many; He has always had His faithful remnant." Well, we are that remnant. You, as part of this remnant, have been on the frontlines of the cultural battles in your state and in this nation.

During Old Testament times, God's people endlessly moved through the cycle of sin that we see, especially in the book of Judges. But even during those cycles of sin, there was a faithful remnant who continued to seek God and to seek His good for their nation. Yet even though the remnant worked so hard, God eventually would judge His people. At one point in time that judgment included exiling His people from their land. But look carefully at the story of the exile in Babylon - there was a remnant. We see the faith of Daniel who refused to eat their food, bow to their gods, or forsake praying to his God. There was Nehemiah who wept for the city of Jerusalem and sought the favor of the king to go and rebuild the walls of the city. God has always worked through His remnant.

This is not a time for us to wring our hands and mourn our losses. It is time for us to be the remnant - to stand strong against the giants in our land. If you think about it when David defeated Goliath, his battle was not over - in reality it had just begun! When he went out to fight that giant, he knew that others lurked in the countryside (remember, he did not take five stones because he thought he would miss; he took five stones because Goliath had four brothers!). But even after the giants, David had many battles to fight. We have been confronting the giants for a long time; the giants somehow seem bigger today, but they are not. Our God is still bigger than all of the giants; our God is still sovereign over all of the affairs of man; our God will not leave us or forsake us. And best of all, our God has already defeated all of the giants! We must never lose sight of the FACT that the victory was won on the cross of Calvary; our Lord took position of the keys of death and hell, and we live in that victory.

So walk today with your head high knowing that you are a child of the King and that the victory has been won. Now it is up to us to continue to fight the battle. One of my favorite pictures of our Lord is the one found at the end of Joshua 5. Joshua has just brought the people into the land and was looking toward Jericho, "he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand, and Joshua went to him and said, 'Are you for us or for our adversaries?' He said, 'No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth…" I love that picture of the warrior! He was there when Joshua needed Him, and He will be there for us as we continue to fight the giants in our land. Never forget that He is the Captain of the host of the Lord!

Let me close with the words of Psalm 3 written as David was fleeing from his son, Absalom:

"O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.

Many are saying of my soul,

'There is no deliverance for him in God.'

BUT YOU, O LORD, are a shield about me,

I was crying to the Lord with my voice,

And He answered me from His holy mountain.

I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

I will not be afraid of ten thousands round about.

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God!

For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;

You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the Lord;

Your blessing be upon Your people!"

Thank you for being a part of the remnant! Thank you for your hard work! We move forward knowing that the Captain of the host of the Lord goes before us!

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