Our Calling and Election

 

Election is the buzzword

It’s on the tongues of most

Many are on the campaign trail

In the town, the country, on the coast

Some are traditional diehards

Re: the Adams and Barrow age

But many are still undecided

Even at this late stage

Some hold that the major parties

Basically are the same

The names and faces are changed

But the same governance again

All politicians are the same

More than a few hold to this

Who they hate they habitually kick

And who they like they kiss

This apart that group maintains

Politicians are basically selfish

And for the purpose of feathering their beds

They promise what you wish

But another election I’ll mention

And of that you can be sure

It’s the election of all elections

After that there will be no more

As politicians vie for your vote

Two are vying for your soul

One is bent on its destruction

The other on making you whole

Based on who gets your vote

Will be the matter of life or death

Death in terms of a flaming hell

Life in entering the Father’s rest

Some will find this trivial

Or rather quite amusing

But in this life you must cast your vote

There’s absolutely no refusing

  

In the civil kind of elections

One is not forced to vote

But in this spiritual election

Your choice strikes an eternal note

In 2Peter chapter 1 verse 10

The Apostle gives a clarion call

To make our calling and election sure

And we shall never fall

Not for five years or there about

But in an everlasting kingdom

Not for a human imperfect leader

But under Jesus Christ, God’s Son

I reiterate I really must

All that lived have already voted

And in fact all alive also have

And this should be readily noted

At birth there is a default

And thus all are born in sin

And unless one chooses Jesus Christ

That one will die therein

Thus it behooves us one and all

To make our calling and election sure

For this you must vote before you die

For after, the opportunity is no more

As you think on this May election

Consider too your current status

You are dead in trespasses and sin

If you have not voted in Jesus

A vote for Christ is a vote for life

Not for just now but forever

He alone makes that election sure

And believe you me there’s no other

Stewart Russell © April 2018

On Your Mark, Set, Go!

 

Well the bell has been rung

Not for school I mean

But for the elections

The most contested ever seen

Some seven parties, I’m told

Will woo the electorate

And which ever is successful

Will govern the state

The DLP, the incumbents

Will try in earnest at a three-peat

The BLP, the main opposition

Is planning for their defeat

Along with Solutions Barbados  

There are BIM and the UPP

All vying in a desperate bid

To be the next governing party

Realistically I would say

It’s between the main two

Most persons will vote DLP or BLP

That’s traditionally true

But especially regarding the UPP

The BLP should be concerned

There’s a distinct possibility

That their effort could be spurned

A number of these candidates

Were recently of the BLP

But a major falling out

Inspired the formation of the UPP

One candidate in particular

Became one of two independents

But then she joined the UPP

And strongly voiced her intent

Much of the UPP’s attack

Has been targeting the BLP

Providing a chance for the DLP

To be the winning party

  

I recall as a matter of fact

The PM had given her his blessing

When she attended her first session

Before the House began discussing

There are some who believed then

His welcome was two-fold

The BLP had lost another MP

And her constituency the D’s could hold

In the event of the elections

While BLP and UPP fight each other

The DLP could sneak right through

And win with much less a bother

You might have noted in verse 12

“Another MP” was used

You would recall a former PM

The BLP he too had refused

He had resigned his membership

From the party he once led

Citing his difficulty with an MP

That currently is the head

There is a lot of criticism

Regarding what the DLP has done

But given the challenge of the UPP

They could yet win this one

It is not likely for a third party

To upset either of the traditional two

But I look with anticipation

At what a certain independent will do

Having given up her vocation

She has also joined the fight

And from what I have been hearing

Many believe she is right

Some have pledged their support

She can expect to get their vote

But to win that City seat

Is still too much to hope

She too will divide the votes

And maybe give the D’s a chance

At pulling off a victory

And their number of seats enhance

By May 25 we should know

Whether it will be the D’s or the B’s

And in addition to that

Whether it will be two parties or three

I will not attempt to speculate

Regarding who will win a seat

But should a third party win the election

That would be quite a feat

Well they are off and running

But the electorate will decide

And as the judges in this election

By their decision all must abide

It’s the time they have the power

To bring big-ups to their knees

As they woo and beg and plead

“Can you give me your vote please?”

There is talk about vote buying

But that is nothing new

When needs are met before elections

That is vote buying too

So go and vote if that’s your wish

And let’s have a peaceful campaign

Whoever the winning party is

We’ll have to live under their reign

And in the final analysis

Regardless of who our leaders are

Unless they get our firm support

Our country won’t get very far

Stewart Russell © April 2018