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Voting to the glory of God

It's been an exciting week in Singapore hasn't it! Many of us will be voting on Saturday. Many, perhaps, for the first time.

Here's a compilation of links to articles which I hope will help us think through how we can vote in a way that glorifies God, remembering 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." and Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him".

Articles from 2010 and 2008, before the UK and US elections

1. How can we vote to the glory of God?

2. Let Christians vote as though they were not voting

3. God and the election

4. Christian duty and politics

5. How should Christians Vote

6. Thinking Christianly about Politics

7. On Christians in the Public Square

Articles from two Christian bloggers here in Singapore, before GE2011:

1. Thoughts for cooling-off day

2. A guide to voting

Happy reading, and voting, and let's persevere in praying for our country! 

Adapting slightly, for Singapore, John Piper's prayer for the election back in 2008:

Father in heaven, as we approach this election on Saturday, we pray: 

1) that your people will vote, 

2) and that they will vote with a sense of thankfulness for a democratic system that at least partially holds in check the folly and evil in all our hearts so that power which corrupts so readily is not given to people too easily; 

3) that we would know and live the meaning of
- being in the world, but not of it,
- doing politics as though not doing them,
- being on the earth, yet having our lives hidden with Christ in God,
- rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God’s 

4) that we would discern what truths and values should advance by being made law and which should advance only by the leavening of honest influence; 

5) that your people would see what love and justice and far-seeing wisdom demand in regard to the issues of education, business and industry, health care, marriage and family, abortion, welfare, energy, government and taxes, military, terrorism, international relations, and every challenge that we will face in the years to come; 

6) and above all, that we will treasure Jesus Christ, and tell everyone of his sovereignty and supremacy over all nations, and that long after Singapore is a footnote to the future world, he will reign with his people from every tribe and tongue and nation. 

Keep us faithful to Christ’s all important Word, and may we turn to it every day for light in these dark times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are you an Adult?

Here's a video from a young adults' community in a church halfway across the globe from us, flagged on the Boundless blog by Martha Krienke who writes:

You've heard it said before: "Sociologists traditionally define the 'transition to adulthood' as marked by five milestones: completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child" (The New York Times, August 2010). I agree that these are all important markers in a person's life. But what about those of us who have only completed two, three or four of the milestones? Is a college graduate who moves home to search for a job not an adult? What about a 30-something who is single? Or a newlywed couple who is unable to have children? There's something fishy to me about basing adulthood on these milestones, which is why I was pleased to recently come across a sermon that describes adulthood differently.

So if you've got about 30 min to spare, the speaker considers these 5 counter-cultural, biblical ideas on adulthood:

1. Life is hard. (John 16:33)
2. You're not that important - your life matters for the sake of others, not yourself. (Romans 9:20)
3. Your life is not about you. (Galatians 2:20)
4. You're not in control - trade control for courage. (Job 37)
5. You're going to die. (James 4:13-15)

5 Things Adulthood from Axis on Vimeo.