The Voice of the People and the Voice of God11.05.10
Aired on May 11, 2010
Narration by Ptr. RG Foncardas
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THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE AND THE VOICE OF GOD
In this election season, we hear a lot of voices – the voices of the candidates, the voices of their followers, the voices of people who comment for or against the candidates and their followers. The nearer we are to May 10th, the louder we hear these voices. Whether we are at work or at play, in the community or in the church, these various and varied voices clamor for our attention.
So a key question we must ask ourselves is this: “What is the relationship of the voices of people and the voice of God?” In the political realm, we commonly hear the statement, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Simply put, the statement means that the voice of the people is right.
But in our current politics, which voice of the people is right? When people say, “I’m the right person for this position,” or “I belong to the right party,” or “I have the right platform,” how do we know that they are the right person, that they belong to the right party, or that they have the right platform? How do we know that such a person, party, or platform represents the voice of God?
Alexander Hamilton once said, “The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.”
In this election season, we have seen people switch parties. We have heard incriminating news about candidates that do not make them seem like the right people for the job. Personalities supporting candidates appear to get more airtime than the party platforms.
It is true that the voices of the people are important, and listen to these voices we must. But the voice of God is what we are called to hear. To hear God’s voice, we begin by inquiring of the Lord. Before he was king, David modeled inquiring of the Lord. Even while he was king, he continued to inquire of the Lord. No wonder he became the best King of Israel and was described by God as a man after His own heart. Why was David described this way? Primarily because he inquired of the Lord.
Now that Election day is behind us, let us put ourselves in a place where we can hear the voice of God for our nation. We can ask God for discernment, which is the meeting place between prayer and action. As families or as communities of faith, we can inquire of the Lord and seek discernment to hear his voice together.
Discernment demands that we not only know what the issues are but more importantly, what we need to stand for. For those of us who are eligible to vote, let us make our vote count and let our voice be heard. As a nation seeking for the transformation we so desperately want and need, let us pray that in this election and in the times to come, the voice of God could be mirrored in the voice of the people.
Written by Dr. Narry Santos, ISACC Fellow on Theology and Pastor of Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF)