Voting for "The Right Vision"

I came across a picture of my wife taken at our campsite at Plumas Eureka State Park in the summer of 2005 when we celebrating our 30^th wedding anniversary.  At first I thought that it might not be the most complimentary photo of her taken as she was frying taco shells on the camp stove.  But the more I looked at the casual pose, the more I could see the real girl that captured and has kept my heart for the last 46 years.  

Yea… she may not have makeup on (except for lipstick – she would NEVER go anywhere without it!) but that Zoë – absolute fullness of the God-kind of life – light is shining brightly through her eyes, she has that Piper-patented “just guess what I am about to do” smile on her face, and the “peace that surpasses all understanding” aurora radiating from her very presence as she goes about the task at hand!

So with all of that in mind and the large smile that it forced upon my face, I clicked a few keys on my laptop and made the picture my background screen saver.  Now I have another vision of what we are expecting to see as a result of our stand of faith on the redemptive revelation of God’s Word concerning His view on her healing.

I mentioned to Piper at breakfast this morning that she and I have always been “vision casters!”  I think that is one of the main reasons that it was so easy for me to talk with her when we started dating during those first few weeks of our Senior High year back in 1970.  We were and still are dreamers… but not just as those hopelessly lost in “La-La Land” as a relative once said to me, but as Believers who took Papa God at His Word, caught His visions for our lives and after investigating the possibilities, stepped out in faith.

I can look back today and see example after example of visions that we cast over the years.  I guess it is just a part of who Piper and I are!  We’ve cast visions to our kids, to the students throughout our active ministry years and to our families and friends.  Like I’ve said before… I think I enjoy the creating, planning, practicing and the preparations for the various ministry programs we’ve done over the years just as much as the actual presentation of it!

One thing I noticed early on in the Presidential Campaign in our country that is soon coming to its conclusion was the difference between the platforms that the two main characters in this play were presenting.  While one long time politician was presenting the usual political rhetoric, the other candidate, a political outsider, was taking a different approach.

I remember the day it hit me, and I turned to my wife and declared of Donald Trump, “He’s casting a vision!”  He was painting a picture of something new, of something becoming stronger and better of which its citizens could become proud of again!  While the other spoke of the merits of the status quo, Mr. Trump has been building excitement across the nation, connecting with the common folks by painting a positive vision of change, success and of hope.

He reminded me of the senior Pastor of our home church who once explained his role at the 8000+ member church, Bible College and the world wide ministry associated with it as “the overseer and one who cast the vision for the ministry.”  He said that he came up with the ideas and then had a talented staff to work out the details of those ideas (under his tutelage and guidance).  

That’s why Mr. Trump may not always have had a lot of details concerning some of the new programs he announced in the early stages of the campaign.  (He actually has said on many occasions that he will bring in the best minds in the various areas of expertise to help him develop the plans – which have been taking shape and shared with the country over the last few months)

In many ways he is a lot like my wife and I in respect to casting visions of the various projects we believe the Lord set before us over the years.  I love the way the Amplified Version expresses Proverbs 29:18 saying: “Where there is no vision – no redemptive revelation of God – the people perish…”  Like I mentioned in a previous post, we have always been driven to put feet to our faith and it is that “redemptive revelation of God” in His Word that has empowered us to step out and keep going even when persecution came against us.

Without that vision of how Scofield described the Biblical term “salvation” as being all the redemptive processes of God (ie; salvation of our souls, healing, deliverance, financial needs abundantly met, strength, courage etc.) we would never have had anything to stand on and would have fallen down on our faces at the first obstacle or roadblock that got in our way!

So from a Christian standpoint, when I talk of vision, I am talking about the vision that Papa God casts to each of us in the truth of His Word!  It is the vision that He desires for us to continually set our eyes upon.  I have a choice each morning when I get up to either go with the worldly vision of the disease I see attacking my wife and the hopeless case it sets for her future, or to see and actively believe the vision of God’s healing that He gives us throughout His Word!  

Which would you go for?  Kind of a “no brainer” right!  I’d rather go with the truth of God’s own words and be confident in His best rather than the failure and dead end possibilities presented by medical science!  What do you think?  What vision do you seek?  

So as far as casting your vote on this Election Day here in the USA, do you want to keep seeing the status quo?  Do you want to keep living by the lowly standards that you continue to see right in front of you or do you desire another view of positive change?  

For me the bottom line is voting for the candidate and party that best supports the Godly vision of His Word... and that choice is pretty clear!  The Good News Bible’s translation of Proverbs 29:18 supports this direction by stating: “A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order.  Happy are those who keep God’s law (or under the New Covenant we would say God’s Word!).”

I choose daily to vote for the Word and look toward God’s vision in everything I do.  How about you?  Have a great day, go out and vote and as you do, keep asking yourself… “Whose vision am I expecting to see… and live by today?”  Remember your vote TODAY can establish your expectations for our county’s future.