This week is the 97th annual United Pentecostal Church Camp Meeting at the "Ol' Campgrounds" in Tioga, Louisiana. I had the privilege of attending last night among more than 7,000 others. Wednesday night is always Family Night, and my family shows up from all over. This year, there were some fantastic Puckett People from Kentucky there.
Also in attendance were Gov. Bobby Jindal, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, Secretary of State Tom Schedler, State Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, and numerous Representatives and other elected officials.
Yup, it's election time again, folks. And politicians are to large, Southern church meetings what ants are to Jolly Ranchers.
Usually, during "politickin time" at Camp Meeting, I am preoccupied with looking around to see how many friends and family members from around the state (and the nation, in fact) I can find, making mental notes to go speak to them when the service is over, catch up on things. Not so when Gov. Jindal speaks.
I heard him at a previous Camp Meeting, and remember that he doesn't give a politician's speech at these sorts of services. The man preaches. And he could hold his own with many charismatic preachers today of all denominations. Amazing gift with words, expressions, the ability to connect with his audience. And a passion for God like I have never seen from a politician before. He is good. Yes, it's election time, and yes, he is in election mode, and yes, he is a politician. But if you hadn't known his name or face last night, you coulda sworn he was a Pentecostal preacher! I kept waiting for someone to start running the aisles and jumping the pews! I'm ashamed of the fact that I actually held back from doing that (was sort of wondering what the Troopers would do, to be honest). And I was a little bit fascinated with the fact that my husband was absolutely glued to Gov. Jindal.
His words were worthy of repeating. Unfortunately, I'm not great at remembering word-for-word, so forgive my paraphrasing, and please forgive if I mix something up. But the gist of his message was that we need to wake up and fall on our faces before God, asking his help for our country. He spoke of a famous man of the past who said that America has the right answers, after we try out everything else. He said that Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all of the alternatives. And he said that now that we've tried everything else, it's time to go back to what we KNOW will work: prayer!
I don't think he and Pastor Anthony Mangun coordinated their sermons, but boy, were they on the same page! Bro. Anthony's sermon was about the three ingredients to a successful family: prayer, fasting, and the Word of God. He said that prayer can change a nation. For Example: Mordecai, Jonah, David, Samuel, and the list goes on and on. I like the illustration of Samuel. Samson was incredibly strong, performed many amazing feats, killed many men, but the Philistines kept coming. It wasn't until the prophet Samuel prayed that the Philistines were no longer able to come against them. Prayer can do things that strength, words, elected officials can't. Bro. Anthony closed out his sermon with a challenge for men and women to get back to what really matters. The "this is a football" Lombardi speech.
Wake up, people, and start praying again!
The one phrase that stuck out for me? We can't yell about there being no prayer in schools when there is no prayer in our churches and our homes.
Wow.
And whoops.
Okay, I'm awake.
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