‘And grace upon grace have we all received from his fullness; that is, the Law was given through Moses; then grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” John 1:16-17.
Today, Thursday, 4th August, the 44th and the first black president of the United State of America, President Barack Obama turns 55. Obama at 55 is very prophetic to the future of America and Obama in particular. According to Bob Carlton and Ariele Gentiles, in their book, Barack Obama: An American Story, ‘the life of Barack Obama is an inspirational story for anyone who has ever felt abandoned, alone, different, or who has wanted to do great things and make a difference in the world … was raised by a single mom, Ann Dunham and his grandparents, rose to the top of his class at Harvard Law, accepted a faith that gives his life deeper meaning, left a lucrative career in law to work in public service.’ For the past 55 years, President Obama was involved in educating himself, starting a family, caring, nurturing, and providing for them, finding a career and Christ, and becoming the President with two terms and eight year tenure. Obama affirmed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In his address to Albuquerque resident in 2010, Obama said, ‘I’m a Christian by choice…My family, frankly, they weren’t folks who went to church every week. My mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew but she didn’t raise me in the church, so I came to my Christian faith later in life and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead. Being my brothers and sisters’ keeper, treating others as they would treat me, and I think also understanding that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings, that we’re sinful and we’re flawed and we make mistakes and we achieve salvation through the grace of God.’
After his election in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Obama received grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ hence he was able to lead America through one of the most challenging dispensation in the world. In the face of all odds, a foundation has been laid for the fullness of America based on the Truth in God’s Word and prayer. Quoting from the words of President Lincoln, Obama attested to the fact that, the office of President make a person pray more, ‘I have been driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that l had no place else to go.’ It is time for Obama to move on and find meaning to his life after his presidency. Obama is not just moving on, but pursuing God’s standard just as America is also moving on in truth, pursuing revival. Truth gives freedom hence, the truth of God’s word is meant to be lived and its denial could very harmful. The grace and the truth of God’s word is the source of renewal for America bearing in mind that the Christian faith that gives Obama ‘perspective and security,’ is shaped by his love to God with all his heart, soul, and mind, and to love his neighbour as himself.
On a joyful note, the Supreme Court judgement in June 2015 upheld the Obamacare legislation. It was ‘a decision that the federal government can give out subsidies to its consumers in all states, no matter whether they signed up through the federal or state-based exchange.’ It is also during his tenure that ‘the rate of the uninsured in America dropped below 10 percent for the first time ever.’
On the increasing gun violent and the need to promote mutual understanding between whites and black Americans, Obama has not served as a kind of magical leader, but collaborating and bringing people on both sides on national issue together for open discussion and way forward. To Obama, the issue of mass shooting goes beyond debate, ‘but to do something to try to prevent the next one. To prove that the vast majority of Americans, even if our voices aren’t always the loudest or most extreme, care enough about a little boy like Daniel to come together and take common-sense steps to save lives and protect more of our children.’ Obama’s presidency is founded on God’s double grace, a generous grace for the election of the first black American President and that, Christ came to save and redeem us. Double grace, double cure. Justification and sanctification of any nation and individual is the double grace God gives us through Jesus Christ. What would young Obama have done without God’s double grace? Grace is the strength of God. It is not sentiment or affection or feeling. It is the power behind Obama, his family and government.
The grace of God, which is unmerited favour; God’s Redemption At Christ Expense is the strength, the power behind the election of the first black American President, Barack Obama. When Obama visited the Federal prison in Oklahoma on 16th July, 2015, he said people like him could have ended up in prison. According to him, ‘that’s what strikes me, there but for the grace of God, … And that is something that we all have to think about.’ President Obama said at Charleston while paying tribute to nine African-Americans that were killed in a church shooting last year, ‘as a nation, out of this terrible tragedy, God has visited grace upon us … for He has allowed us to see where we ‘ve been blind.’ The grace of God is the power that makes the blind (physical and spiritual) to see and confess Christ as Lord; it was the grace of God that brought Obama out from obscurity to the international platform and responsibility. Using Obama’s words, we not only ‘achieve salvation through the grace of God,’ all our achievements in life are by God’s grace. Human judgement kills, but God’s grace makes alive and enthrones a leader. It is God grace that empowers everything in Christian life. God gave President Obama grace for his race(s) in life (including two terms of presidency) and eternity, the same grace is available for you and me, dear brother and sister. God’s grace according to Obama, ‘has given us the chance, where we ‘ve been lost, to find our best selves.’ God’s gift of life, the natural grace, and supernatural grace makes us capable of enjoying eternal life.
God chose Obama and ordained him to bring forth fruit of hope and change upon America and the world (Jn 15:16). The fruits of God’s double grace upon Obama’s two terms and eight years tenure is not about Americans prosperity and righteousness that comes only by law, but in the renewal of Americans foundation and covenant in God (Gal 2:21). Obama at 55 is testimony of what God can only do as testified by him last week during the Democratic convention at Philadelphia. According to him, ‘while this nation has been tested by war and has been tested by recession and all manner of challenges, I stand before you again tonight after almost two terms as your president. I am more optimistic about the future of America than ever before.’
As we celebrate Obama’s final birthday in office, and ‘at a time when Obama is acknowledging that his own political shelf life is winding down. Though mid-50s is young for an outgoing commander-in-chief,’ please let us pray for him, his wife, Michelle and their daughters – Malia and Natasha for a fulfilling, graceful, and active post-presidency in Jesus mighty name.
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