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This week's focus: Action

“I can only imagine what it would be like when I walk by Your side….”

A song that never gets old for me is, I can only imagine, by MercyMe. The lyrics adequately express how words can’t describe what it will be like to walk with Jesus and see Him face to face. Until He returns, we can only imagine.

Unlike us, the disciples in the New Testament didn’t have to imagine what it was like to be in the physical presence of God. They heard His stories, laughed with Him, learned from Him, and prayed with Him. There was never a dull moment as His followers watched Jesus restore sight to the blind, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, calm angry storms, raise the dead, and feed the multitudes. Word spread quickly; before long, it was hard for Jesus to go anywhere without crowds surrounding Him.

Fast forward to the Garden of Gethsemane, where a large multitude came to arrest Jesus. The religious leaders wanted to destroy Him, so they made false accusations, had mock trials during the night, and brought Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, the next day.

During Passover, a custom in Jerusalem allowed Pilate to commute one prisoner’s death sentence by popular acclaim. The crowd was allowed to choose one prisoner to be released. Before them stood Jesus, the Righteous One, and Barabbas, a murderer. The angry mob cast their vote and chose Barabbas. The Bible tells us, “they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail” (Luke 23:23). The religious leaders understood the best way to push Pilate in a specific direction was by the voice of the multitudes.

My question has always been, where were the multitudes who previously surrounded Jesus? Where were the crowds who witnessed His power and glory? Where were the 5,000 people who Jesus lovingly provided for and fed? Where were the lepers He cleansed? Where were the people He healed? Why didn’t those who knew Jesus show up (despite their fear) and take a stand for righteousness as passionately as those with an evil plan did? In today’s terms, where were His constituents? Why weren't they there to counter the false narratives and lies with the truth? Why weren’t their voices loud and insistent?

We know that Jesus fulfilled prophecy and did what He entered our world to do when He went to the cross on our behalf. That being said, the actions of those who participated in betraying Him (unless they truly repented) will have to stand before God fully accountable for their sin.

Today, wicked agendas and evil plans are once again trying to destroy righteousness. We must counter these attacks. One of the ways is by making our voices heard at the ballot box by casting our votes for biblical values. If we remain silent, rest assured that the opposition won’t. When we genuinely love our neighbor as ourselves, we will speak on behalf of the unborn, marriages, families, and the religious freedoms that the enemy seeks to eradicate.

I can only imagine what it was like to walk with Jesus as the disciples did. I can only imagine what it will be like to walk with Him in eternity. Until then, may we walk in step with the Spirit to protect and defend those things we hold dear.

Can you imagine how this world would look if God’s children stood as one, courageously took action, and chased the darkness away?

by: Jennifer McAlister for My Faith Votes