Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger. – Job 17:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 3, 2015): Job 17

I admit, the headline caught me off guard. “Michele Bachmann: The rapture is coming and it’s Obama’s fault.” Now, in all honestly I have no idea whether the headline came from Bachmann or the reporter, but this is also not the first time that I have heard this kind of language from the Christian right, a group of people that I struggle hard to understand. In the article Bachmann lists the problems that Obama has brought into the White House, including the nuclear crisis in Iran which has gripped Middle East politics (according to Bachmann, Obama is committed to the idea of the a Nuclear Iran even though the current negotiations would “significantly reduce and heavily monitor Iran's nuclear program, making it much more difficult for the country to ever build a nuclear bomb” – and just in case you missed it, the bomb is the real problem with nuclear development.) She also seems to blame Obama for the homosexuality and abortion debate that is currently raging, not just in the United States but all through the developed nations. According to Bachmann, all of these things have brought us significantly closer to the return of Jesus.

And all of that may be true. My problem is not with the idea that the rapture is coming (although, in my opinion, the idea of a “rapture,” in which all of the Christians are removed from the earth either before, during or at the close of a time period Christian’s call “The Great Tribulation,” would seem to have marginal biblical support.) My problem is with the idea that Barak Obama caused it. Somehow we are turning the rapture into some kind of punishment for the earth. It is as if the rapture was a threat from God in which he tells the inhabitants of the earth to play nice or he is going to take our toys away. I always thought that the return of Christ was supposed to be a good thing, a day that all Christians hoped for, worked toward and prayed for; and that we hoped that the return of Christ would happen in our lifetime. It is the glorious moment when we see the Savior of the earth come and take his rightful place as king. It is the moment that John, in his closing words of the Christian Testament Book of Revelation, looks forward to with the words - He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20). So, if the rapture or the return of Christ to the earth is a good thing, then when Bachmann’s says that the imminent return of Christ is “Obama’s Fault” is she indicating that she believes that Obama is such a good man that his presence has propelled us closer to the hoped for moment of Christianity. Obviously this is not her meaning, so what we are left with is a troubling belief system which seems to have taken hold of the Christian right.

Job speaks words that we need to hear. It has never been the job of the righteous to police the earth. Our responsibility is only to bear witness to Christ and all that he does. We do not concentrate on those who want to perpetrate evil, but we hold to the good that we are commanded to do, knowing that, in the end, God will strengthen us. We know what Job doesn’t know, that in the end even he will be strengthened by the God that he serves because he holds to what is good.

These words almost seem like they were aimed at those of us who live in the twenty-first century. Is there evil present in the world? Yes, it has always been here. But our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to continue to do the good that has been placed before us; to be the salt and light that this world needs. We are to hold to the path of good, no matter what those around us might do.

And Michele Bachmann, Barak Obama is not hastening the hand of God. He doesn’t have the power to do that. The time of Christ’s return to the earth is held only in the Father’s hands (and Barak Obama is the President of the United States, he is not God.) When Christ returns, we who are called by his name will rejoice. Until then our only job is to do the good that he has placed in our hearts, and to allow our love for the Creator and all that he has created to be the change agent that this word needs. We have no other duty.

And we who are Christian echo the sentiment of John – we say, Come, Lord Jesus. We await your return with joy in our hearts.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Job 18

Personal Note: My Grandmother turns 100 today. She is a great lady who has had a significant influence on my life – and I can’t wait to go and celebrate her birthday with her in a couple of weeks. It’s time to celebrate.