Last year, as I contemplated the possibility of a Harris/Walz administration, I could not have imagined what I witnessed yesterday as I heard the highest officials in our government proclaim, unashamedly and boldly, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I remember 2020–21 and the feeling many of us had that Christians were under attack and our influence in the nation was rapidly diminishing. Those years may have been our Elijah moment, when he cried out to God:
“I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10).
It felt pretty lonely then—as if a cultural tsunami had overtaken us. Maybe those feelings were premature. Today, I am thankful for God’s incredible mercy on our nation and pray that a national revival will not only begin, but flourish.
Yesterday’s speeches by Dr. Frank Turek, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President J.D. Vance were remarkable. The contrast between light and darkness could not have been greater on that stage in Phoenix. On one side, we see hatred, violence, and a culture unraveling. On the other, we see flashes of God’s Kingdom breaking through in ways the world cannot explain. “The light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5).
One of the most powerful examples of that light came from Erika Kirk. In an absolutely gripping speech, she declared her decision to forgive the young man who murdered her husband. Erika chose the way of Jesus—the way of grace. It was the strength of faith that believes in the cross, trusts in God’s justice, and embodies Christ’s command: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
When Erika Kirk chose to forgive her enemy, she displayed the very heart of Christianity. The strength to love one’s enemy is not something the world can produce or even comprehend—it comes only through following Christ. It is in His example that we find the power to say the nearly impossible words: “I forgive you.”
Forgiveness doesn’t erase the pain. It doesn’t pretend the wrong never happened. What it does is break the chains of bitterness and refuse to let darkness have the final word. “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Forgiveness is one of the clearest ways we show that the gospel is not just an idea to be admired, but a reality to be lived.
Erika’s example forces us all to wrestle with the question: Am I willing to walk in the radical light of Christ, even when it costs me everything? Am I willing to forgive, to love, to bless, even when wronged? Paul reminds us, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32). That is what our nation desperately needs—not just political revival, but spiritual transformation in the image of Jesus.
Light shines brightest in the darkest night. May we, like Erika Kirk, choose to be vessels of that light. May God raise up a people who live out the gospel with such courage that the watching world cannot help but see Christ. “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).
And while we have reason to be optimistic—because God is on our side—this does not mean that Satan will retreat. In fact, he will step up his attacks. This is a spiritual war, and the enemy will continue to lurk, plot, and seek to destroy those who uphold the light. Be vigilant. Stand tall. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). God’s got this, and He’s got you.
