I learned on Tuesday that you had been elected to the position of president of the United States. On January 20, 2009, you will be inaugurated into one of the most influential offices in the modern world. Though I doubt you will get anywhere near the amount of media attention that you have received during your historic campaign, you will still be under the scrutiny of the American people throughout your term. You have seen for yourself what people are capable of doing to the political figures who have held this office prior to you. You have seen the verbal abuse that President Bush has suffered during his eight-year presidency. For your willingness to subject yourself to public opinion, I admire you.
But there are many things I don't admire you for. In fact, you and I disagree on a great deal of points. But I'll get to that later.
I remember the first time I heard your name. It was in 2004, when you were running against Alan Keyes in a race for one of Illinois' seats in the United States senate. You and your story were inspirational, not only in that race, but also when you gave your excellent keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
I didn't hear much mention of your name again until early in 2007 when you declared that you were running for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 Presidential election. I am ashamed to admit that even when I learned this, I simply shrugged my shoulders and ignored your presence in the political arena. Though I would be able to cast my first vote ever for the president of the United States in the very race that you would be running, I didn't once consider you, except to consider how another candidate could win a head-to-head election with you.
I became very interested in a different political figure who was trying to win the Republican nomination for president. I followed his campaign eagerly, becoming excited any time a news headline appeared about this candidate, and rejoicing when he set fundraising records. I watched live speeches and read live blogs about this man, eager to obtain any new information about him. But I never paid much attention to you, Mr. Obama.
Except when I made snide remarks about your stance on issues like abortion, gun control, welfare, social security, and tax reform. Or when I scoffed at your fundraising totals, and laughed at the attacks shared between you and your biggest opponent, Hilary Rodham Clinton.
Now, Mr. Obama, I'm not saying I agree with you on these issues now. By no means do I support your radical beliefs about killing human beings while still in their mother's womb. I don't support your policies which would reward people for not obtaining employment. I may be a college student, but I would not allow you to bribe me with your plan to pay me a $4000 scholarship every year just for "volunteering" 40 hours of time for my community. I could go on and on about ways that I don't agree with you, but that is not the point of this letter. I know that God can, if He wills, change your heart on many of the moral issues which you take an immoral stance on. I know that it is not the end of the world if you succeed in convincing the US Congress to adopt some of your radical socialist/Marxist policy ideas.
Despite my vehement disagreement with you, even when you won the Democratic nomination to run for president, I still ignored you. I accused you of simply taking advantage of the American people by filling their minds with nonsensical rhetoric, even when all I was doing was talking about you. When it became clear that you and Senator John McCain would be the two major party candidates for president, I began talking about your chances against each other as if this election was all just a big game.
Then, as election day neared, I became even more cynical. I complained about all of the media attention the presidential race was getting. I'll be glad when all of this drama is over, I thought. I talked about how you were really no different than John McCain as far as economic, foreign, and tax policies. I complained that the major media outlets gave you too much air time and commented on how they never provided information on third-party candidates for the presidential election. Though my prayers were sincere, they were always in general terms. I would pray for "the election". I would pray that God would move on the hearts of His people to encourage them vote according to His moral statutes and His Word.
But, Mr. Obama, I have a humbling confession to make.
I never once prayed for you.
I am not by any means proud of this fact. It shames me to no end to know that through all of this, I never once even thought about praying for you.
I could have started praying for you after I saw your keynote speech on July 27, 2004. I could have started praying for you on February 10, 2007, when you announced your candidacy for president. I could have started praying for you on August 27, 2008, when you became the Democratic party nominee for the office of president of my home country. I could have started praying for you in mid-October, when it became abundantly clear that you would win the presidential election. But I didn't. And of that, I am greatly ashamed.
I want you to know, Mr. Obama, that I have now started praying for you. I am praying that your radical view on abortion will change. I am praying that God will give you guidance as you endeavor to lead our country through new and trying times. I am praying that God's will be done in your life, and in our country.
In the first election year that I was eligible to vote, I did not and could not cast my first vote for you, Mr. Obama.
But tonight, I pray my first prayer for you. And I want you to know that my prayers for you will not cease.
