Hearts more important than votes, writer says

Like most of you, I was elated to wake up the morning after Election Day 2004 and discover what our awesome God had done! The four million evangelical Christian voters in America who skipped out on the 2000 elections arose and spoke loudly that we will support pro-life, pro-family leaders and reject those who are not!

My biggest shock was to discover that the House of Representatives now had a pro-life majority! Having followed Georgia politics most of my life, and having served an internship at the State Capitol during my college years, I could only dream of our beloved state having a pro-life Governor, a pro-life Senate and now a pro-life House of Representatives!

While we rejoice in the election of pro-life men and women, along with eleven states speaking out on the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, I know that politics is not the answer.

The top concern expressed by the majority of voters in last week's election was not the war in Iraq. It was not the economy. I was thrilled to read that it was moral values! Much attention has been given to the so-called "values voters." People with strong "religious" convictions were said to be a major reason for President Bush's re-election.

As I pondered the results of the election, God reminded me that hearts and souls are still far more valuable than votes. I wonder how much money, time, and energy was spent for each vote that was cast versus how much money, time and energy we spend seeing souls birthed into the Kingdom of God.

If Christians would work just as hard as political operatives, what kind of revival might God send our way? The election results tend to show that when folks' hearts are right, they will vote according to "religious" convictions. When our hearts are right before God, everything else will fall into place.

Now that we have the re-election of a pro-life president, he will likely appoint two to four justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. When President Bush nominates a person to the Supreme Court, that nomination goes first to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which conducts hearings and votes on the nomination. The chairman of the Judiciary Committee will be the "point man" in leading the president's nominees to successful confirmation votes in the committee and in the full Senate. Before this man receives the chairmanship of that powerful committee, Christians should make their voices heard once again.

Call Senator-Elect Johnny Isakson's office at 202-225-4501 or 404-252-5239 and Senator Saxby Chambliss' office at 202-224-3521 or 770-763-9090 and let them know that no one should serve as chairman of the Judiciary Committee who is not pro-life. I have called both offices and was told by both that they are tabulating the number of phone calls for and against.

While we still recognize the need to be involved and speak out on the issues that matter most to us, let us never lose sight that hearts and souls are far more valuable than votes. Let's build the Kingdom of God, one heart at a time, for His glory!