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Dear San Marco Church Family: In 2012 or 2013, I remember a pastor friend of mine telling me about attending choir practice at the church he served. He said that prior to every practice, choir members would complain bitterly about the United States president at the time. He commented that it seemed that these choir members just hated the president. Finally, my friend had heard enough. He challenged them all to pray for the president and all leaders at least as often or more often than the time they used to complain. At the time, I loved my friend’s approach. However, I must confess that the reason I loved my friend’s approach is that I personally liked the president at that time and found it easy to pray for him. A few years later, with a different president in office, I became one of those complainers. I found it more satisfying, in a perverse way, to complain vehemently rather than to pray for something good to happen. I was wrong. As President Biden stated recently, we cannot love our country only when we win, and we cannot only love our neighbor when he or she agrees with us. As our Christian faith teaches, we are called to love our friends and our enemies, and to pray for those who would persecute us. Romans 12:20-21 teaches, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I know that this election has been very difficult for many people, and that while many may be happy with the result, many others are bitterly disappointed. Regardless of your perspective, a pastor whom I greatly respect has stated, “…..if we assign ultimate power to our political systems for enacting God’s vision for our lives and our world, then it becomes idolatrous.” Indeed, our hope lies in God’s work through Jesus Christ, as manifested in the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. Friends, as your pastor I am available if you need to talk, to vent, and to process your feelings. In the meanwhile, I will remember my friend’s advice to the choir members at his church. I will endeavor to pray for the United States president, and all government leaders, at least as often as I complain. How about you? I remain honored to serve as your pastor, and I look forward to seeing you in worship Sunday! Steve Hart
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