The Next Four Years

As of Tuesday night, Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States. Wow.

I don't remember watching the last election so I'm not really sure what was going through my head as each state slowly closed polling places and changed from gray to red or blue but I was right in front of the TV this year, anxiously waiting for the votes to be counted and the verdict to be made. I did my duty absentee-style from my kitchen table and was excited to see if it would make a difference. Red covered quite a few of the states but not enough. Before the votes from my state, California and the rest of the Pacific Northwest had been counted, it was clear what the outcome would be. As we sat waiting, the words "Obama elected President" flashed onto the screen in red letters. Just like that, it was over. We watched McCain graciously give his speech and calm those who had come to celebrate with him. We listened to commentary on Obama's win. We saw the thousands of screaming people in Chicago, elated at the news.

I didn't vote for Obama. I don't really like him as a candidate. Regardless of my feelings though, he is going to be our next president. He made history on Tuesday night by becoming the first black man to be elected as president. He isn't the Antichrist (one of my professors wrote a note on facebook proving that if Obama could be considered the Antichrist, so could Barney). He isn't evil (even though I don't agree with him).

He is the man God wanted to lead our country. Christians everywhere prayed about it and if they really knew anything about prayer, they would realize that God did answer their requests. He wasn't shocked at the outcome but knew even before time began that Obama would be the man. I don't think I'll agree with him on many things, and in fact I may be upset at the decisions he makes. Even so, he has been chosen to be my next president. I pray that he will lead this country well and do the things he has promised.

I do hope this country is better at the time of the next election than it is now because of Barack Obama. I hope God blesses him and that he becomes a wonderful thing for the American people, not just a public icon.

I wonder what will happen in the next four years?