Last night, Wednesday in the

year of our Lord 13 December, 2000, we witnessed America at the plate.

It was in the ninth inning

and there were two outs and two strikes and America was in a tie game.

The stakes were very high and it was not about who sat in the White House

or which party was in power but the stakes were about the "soul of

America."

We have received and better

listen to this latest "wake up call, and call to bat." Once

again, this is not about a certain party or politics or a certain candidate,

it is about the very soul of America.

I spent almost one third of

my life overseas and witnessed America from across the waters and saw

how much the rest of the world needs and depends upon us. I witnessed

that when America coughs, the rest of the world gets a cold.

Solzhenitzen spoke before the

congress and called America a "moral leader." You may not even

agree with this or may not even want the responsibility, but it is there.

Isolationism is not possible. One way of the other, America speaks. I

strongly feel that God has set our nation aside for greatness and whether

we like it not we have the mantel and have the "uniform" on

and we are always "in the game," whether we "want to play

or not."

I further strongly feel that

America's ship had lost its mooring and was adrift with storms rising

and grave days ahead. I just need to come out and say it here, I don't

believe America could have stood four or possibly eight more years of

the administration we just endured. Again, this is not about being a Democrat

or a Republican or an Independent. It is about the soul of America.

As I have stated before, I

was a Southern Democrat for half of my life. I didn't leave the party,

it left me.

I believe we have received

the coach's wake up call in several areas. We need to do some major reform

in our voting procedures and to "get out the vote." We saw where

complacency and voting shifted the election several times.

I feel that the nation under

this new administration needs to put the skids on the homosexual juggernaut

and its anti-family agenda that is being foisted on America and our youth.

Our military needs rebuilding from being number seven to number one.

The naming of several of the

Supreme Court judges will happen in this administration. We saw how important

their decisions were. God bless the ones that had the moral courage to

stand up and be counted to make moral decisions. Heaven help the ones

that "abstained." When America is at the plate, it's not the

time to "abstain" and remain "politically correct."

Your and my "time at the

plate" comes at different times in life and although they may be

few, we need to step up to the plate, take the bat, make our decisions,

plan our strategy, watch the ball and swing. We must remember as Americans

we are a team, not a bunch of special interest groups wanting our agenda

always on top.

The issues of the unborn babies

and those who support and perform this death craft in abortion clinics

throughout this country must be challenged in the next four years. Think

of those whose lives are snuffed out on a daily basis in America. This

must totally grieve the heart of God to have blessed our nation above

every nation in the world and then for us to sink this low.

There is much to undo from

these last eight years of being adrift. I will have to say in my heart

of hearts that I do appreciate and applaud Vice President Al Gore for

not further dividing our nation in his concession speech. In many other

countries this election would have been decided by revolution in the streets

as even some suggested in this country.

Thank God that our system forgives,

and hopefully learns from each situation, reflects and goes on. That's

where God's people come on the scene in the "forgiveness arena."

Why should we forgive? (Matthew 6:14-15.) Whom should we forgive? (Luke

17:3-4.) How can we forgive? (Galatians 5:22-25)

I will to the best of my ability

attempt with all my heart to do this. On the other hand, when the soul

of America is at stake and America is at bat, rest assured we will be

stepping up to the plate. God Bless God's people and God Bless America.

The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is

the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a substitute school

teacher in the Fayette County School System, and a former Army chaplain.

The church is currently meeting in the American Legion Log Cabin across

from the fountain on the Square in Fayetteville, and will be moving to

a new location near Senoia hopefully by Christmas. Prayer line 770-719-2365;

e-mail [email protected].