Response to Obama at UofR (Journal Excerpt)

Just an excerpt from my journal as I processed what I heard and saw this morning.

President Obama was at U of R this morning. It was really weird. He sounded like a high schooler making an SCA election speech. He kept promising things like more jobs, better schools, less taxes, but gave zero “how” to the “what.” The one thing he did say was that there is a bill going thru Congress that will make more jobs and lower taxable income. He kept saying things like, “when it passes,” “congress will pass it,” “vote for this and you will see.....” but he never said a word about what is in the bill.

But the people kept cheering. They shouted out, “I love you, Barak!” and he responded, “I love you back!” every time. It was so weird.

The people seemed completely swept away by the President’s congeniality. He was gracious, he interacted with them when they cheered for him, he joked with them, he made personal comments about Richmond and Virginia leaders, which connected with the peoples’ hearts...he called it refreshing to be in Richmond. It’s like he found a way into the hearts of Richmond by bringing affirmation and love and speaking beauty about the city, whose heart is deeply affected by wounds from its past.

It was way more spiritual than even I gave credit for at first. It was total false hope delivered to a city in desperate need of real hope and transformation. And that’s what he was tapping into--the city’s need for transformation. But it wasn’t right. He called for restoration of the American Dream--met by fervent cheers--he called out for prosperity to arise in this city that has known so much depression, both economic and otherwise. He is 100% an excellent rally-er, and knows how to respond to the excitement in the atmosphere.

I think it’s urgent now that we pray for God to explode truth into Richmond, because this IS our shot--it really is now or not ever--we have to chose what will unite our city, and it is a time of big spiritual warfare.

We were made appealing promises this morning but they can’t happen apart from the Gospel. Richmond is clamoring for freedom and real restoration, and Obama aptly discerned the atmosphere of our city. But we can’t stand on emptiness and anything outside of the hand of God is empty.

There is a loud and rapidly rising cry in Richmond for salvation and it is near...but we have to grab the right hand.