I went to the polls yesterday, caught in the frenzy of Super Tuesday. I ran into a friend of mine, and could barely focus because I was a bit torn as to who I should vote for-Obama or Huckabee.

I finally voted for Obama, but when I left the polls I felt violated. I remember hearing and reading stories about the turmoil African-Americans faced at polls in the south, and I almost felt like that. The lady that checked my name assumed that I was voting Democratic, so she handed me a slip that said so without asking me. When I was finished voting the lady in front of me had her ballot taken from some old man, who then looked at what she voted, and said," good job young lady." I was undone. I went to the next guy and put my own ballot into the machine. Everyone that I talked to said the situation should have been reported.

In the midst of the excitement it appears as though the country is still so divided. People of faith are still seperate and loving it. People of faith are still hesitant to deal with those of other ethnicities. What I saw was almost a reverse Jim Crow. It looked like African-Americans were creating anxiety at the polls. They were not opposing the vote, but were causing anxiety to those that could vote different than the norm. When will our belief in God become our lifestyle? A person lifestyle can not be put down, even during voting. Selah Shalom

Philip Yancey said," It occurs to me that all the contorted theories about Jesus that have been spontaneously generating since the day of his death merely confirm the awesome risk God took when he stretched himself out on the dissection table--a risk he seemed to welcome. Examine me. Test me. You decide." I believe that Yancey's words represent the future of the Christian walk. 1 Peter 3:15 says, that the believer is to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in them. There is a large majority of the Christian church that is completely lethargic concerning why they are Christians. Questions that are seemingly complex, go unanswered because of a misappropriation of power. Instead of being hungry for the knowledge of Christianity in it's totality, B.C. And A.D., many stop at the gifts and calls. The reason the muslims, atheist, and buddhist are more knowledgable of Christian history is because they study our faith with the intent of finding contradictions. What God is saying is study to show thyself approved. Studying transcends merely reading.

The Souls of Black Folks, written by W.E.B. DuBois, was one of the better, if not the best study of the history and state of African-Americans, both pre and post emancipation. The chapter that appeals most to me is chapter ten entitled, "Of the faith of our fathers." In this chapter he discusses the power of those African-Americans that were clergy, and also how the Negro had to live a double life as an American. Conscious of his impotence, and pessimistic, he often becomes bitter and vindictive; and his religion, instead of a worship, is complaint and a curse, a wail rather than a hope, a sneer rather than a faith (SOBF pg.142). He was responding to the pessimism and wailing that he witnessed, which makes his words more credible.

What I submit unto you is that we can never lose hope. The foundation in the practices of Christianity caused there to be a misunderstanding of dispensations, and so when emancipation came, the people thought the need for God had ended, and that they could go back to the paganism from which they had come. Such seems to be the case with humanity today, and not just African-Americans; somehow after we have achieved, the need for God seemingly diminishes....at least for a short time. We will always need God; we are nothing without him; we can never lose site of the big picture. Never lose hope! Hope maketh not ashamed!