INAUGURATION

Many of us watched this week as Barak Obamma took the oath of office to become the President of the United States of America. In fact, more people watched this inauguration than any other presidential event in history. I was amazed most by the scenes of the crowds. A sea of people as far as the eyes could see dotted the mall on Washington like kudzu covering the trees of southern roadsides. Flags waved. Shouts of joy rang high. Tears rolled down frozen checks. All of this for a man who two-yers-ago was unknown to nearly everyone standing on the mall. As I watched in wonder I asked myself this quesion:"What does this mean?" In response, I have come to several conclusions.



First, I recognize that before me was unfolding the desperate position of our people. America is starving for hope. People are looking for answers. They are looking for someone - anyone - who will stand up and say "There is hope. I can bring change. Follow me." This message of change and hope won Mr. Obama the presidency. He felt the aching heartbeat of a desperate people and spoke to that need. If only my candidate would have done the same! John Maxwell said it best in one of his book: "People don't care what you know until they know that you care." Obama does not have an impressive resume for the office of president. In fact, he hardly has a resume at all. But people, like sheep, are not led by reason or fact, but by emotion and selfish desires. Clinton won his election the same way Obama did. He spoke to peoples needs - "It's the economy, stupid!" Remember? And so we see how a man can rise from political obscurity to the top office in the country by projectng the right message to the masses.



The second thing I see in this inauguration is the fraility of desperate humanity. Jesus spoke to this issue when He viewed the large crowds that came to follow Him. He said that they were like "sheep without a shepherd." Desperate people are vulnerble people. It seems that the masses will follow a pied piper to hell if they thought he was going to solve their problems. You see it in the crowds of people at the services of healing evangelists, or in food lines in poverty-stricken countries, or in the millions of poor who play the lottery or send in their stickers to the Publishers Clearing House Sweepsteaks. It scares me to think of the implications of a leader with such support taking us to the wrong places. President Obama has a big oportunity but also a big responsibility. I pay that he will do wat is right and what is good.

Finally, I must admit that my spirit man has awakened at the sight of sudden global acceptance of a man of obscurity. Obviously this overflow of support and man worship is not simply the result of good campaigning. Something is taking place in the spirit realm here, and I'm not sure that all this good will is summoned by God, but perhaps by His adversary. I se the spirit of antichrist at work blatantly! Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Obama is the antichrist (don't get me started here!), but it is the spirit of antichrist that is spreading and preparing these lost masses to acept a man who will have all the answers. What's next?