"Do you

believe that we should go to war with Iraq?" said the worried lady

who is a member of my congregation. "Do you think the president is

doing the right thing?" she added.

It was a question

that several others have asked in the last few weeks and months. Like

most Americans, I am worried about the possibility of war and concerned

about the possibility of suffering and death.

I have a 21

year-old son serving in the United States Air Force. I don't think he

will go to Iraq, but that is by no means certain. I have a friend, a captain

in the United States Army, who is in Kuwait now. I helped several people

pray for his wife and two small children last Sunday evening as they shared

their sadness and anxiety. In my congregation, there is an Army Special

Forces officer, two United States Navy Corpsmen (medics), and two United

States Marines. Some will and others could see action in a war with Iraq.

There is also an Army reservist who is on standby, waiting to hear if

he will be activated.

War, for me,

has a face. Those faces, which I pray for daily, also have moms and dads,

brothers, and sisters, wives, and children.

I understand

responsibility and duty. I voluntarily served with the U. S. Marines during

the Vietnam era. But I also remember well the youthful face of Joe Meade,

a tough high school defensive back with a mop of blond hair and a silver

front tooth who joined the Marines and died on a patrol not long after

being "in country."

I can still

see the face of Jimmy Jones, who always sported a goofy smile and was

friendly with everyone he met. Jimmy joined the Army, was sent to the

'Nam and was killed, his smile erased forever. There were others whose

voices were silenced. I hate war and the sadness and mourning it brings.

Yet, I believe

in defending that which is good and pure and priceless. I am not a pacifist

and I have the means and, I believe, the will to defend my family from

intruders who might break into our home and seek to do violence. I believe

that the person who does not provide for his family (including their safety

and protection) is, as the New Testament says, "worse than an infidel."

It is not, however, my responsibility or my duty to agree or disagree

with the president. It may be my constitutional right, but it is not my

responsibility. As a Christian, I must be ruled by the scriptures which

includes the words of St. Paul to young Timothy:

"I urge,

then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving

be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may

live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good,

and pleases God our Savior" (1 Timothy 2:1-3a, KJV)

Part of my

responsibility, and my duty, is to pray for the president, his advisors,

and his Cabinet and the governor, members of the Congress, the mayor,

members of city council, and the members of the county commission, among

others. As an American, I am tempted to assume that part of my responsibility

(even my duty) is to criticize, demean, and tear down elected officials.

If I do, I assume wrongly, and I am in error. I freely confess that I

have not always prayed instead of griping. Hopefully, I am maturing. I

must pray that my leaders have godly wisdom, that they act with integrity,

and that they respond in ways that are ethical, and selfless, and beneficial

to those whom they lead. And then, as a Christian believer, I am compelled

to support them in their decision unless that action is clearly evil and

unbiblical. In fact, St. Paul wrote:

"Let every

soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority

except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God,

and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are

not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of

the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid;

for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger

to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject,

not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of

this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually

to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes

are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."

(Romans 13:1-7, KJV)

So, what do

I think? I think that it doesn't really matter what I think and I think

that I need to be in prayer for our leaders during these perilous times.

I want peace. I want for all of my young military people to come home

unscathed. I want the President to "hear from God" and do what

is right. So I pray. It's my responsibility and it's my duty.

[Father David

Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church, which

meets at 10 a.m. Sundays at 4881 E. Hwy 34. He may be contacted at 770-252-2428,

at [email protected] or at www.ctkcec.org.]