The debate seems endless. Good people, highly educated people, thinking people are walking around in circles. What they are saying doesn’t make sense. They speak gobblety-gook. There are times I feel they puposefully complicate the issues so as to confuse the American people.  I don’t know about you, but I am weary of Congress’ inability to get anything done.  Not just weary, pretty mad, actually. I know it is a tough job in a tougher town but if businesses were run this way, they would be forced to close down and perhaps sued for not delivering the product paid for.

As Americans we have paid a high price for these overpaid, over-egoed folks to not deliver the goods they promised.  And we paid for this with our tax dollars. Why are we not demanding more from them? Have we been lulled into complacency? Are we like the proverbial frog in boiling water? Have we passed the time when we can jump out to save our lives? Are we only interested in our corner of the pie? Being comfortable?

I have a friend who lives in the D.C. area. He is optimistic about our future – that Americans will pull this out once again and straighten our course. I don’t share his optimism. I desperately want to…but I see such a lack of character in our leaders – whether Democrat or Republican. And there is lack of character in our population. We have forgotten integrity – to be the same inside as we are outside. This friend has a huge amount of integrity.

However, I was encouraged this week after dining at a restaurant in Bristol, VA. I got up to leave in a hurry and left my credit card; I also left a notebook I needed for my meeting. I returned to get the notebook unaware of my missing credit card and was greeted outside the restaurant by my young waiter who told me I had left my credit card. That’s character – he could have easily slipped it into his pocket. (He works at O’Charleys.)

There are glimmers of hope. Let’s fan them until there is a brightness the Congress cannot ignore. We have an obligation to hold these folks accountable. I know we have the power of the ballot…but right now I see that as a flaw –  too many people are voting to keep their subsidies. Irresponsible! (My more liberal friends will jump all over me.)

Now that I have “vented” my frustration…I have to come back to the sovreignty of God. He is still in charge…not the President. Not the Congress. God is. Psalm 75:7 says, “But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another.” The people in leadership in the world are there because God put them there. They may think it is the voters or their hard work or their smarts…it is God. He will hold them responsible. And our job is to pray for them. We don’t have to agree – and there is little I agree within D.C. these days – but we are told to pray. Paul says in I Tim. 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I urge you that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgiving, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order, that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in teh sight of God our Savior.”

Have you prayed for our President today? Your Senator? Your Congressman? Your Govenor? Your mayor? Take just a moment to do so right now.