After having awakened with a political hangover the morning after Obama’s spectacle acceptance, rank-and-file Republicans were rejuvenated by the Maverick’s selection of Governor Sarah Palin to be his second in command. And, the Democrats are now “reeling” from the pick:

We may be seeing the first woman president. As a Democrat, I am reeling . . . That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician. [Sarah] Palin is as tough as nails… Good Lord, we had barely 12 hours of Democrat optimism… It was a stunningly timed piece of PR by the Republicans. —Camille Paglia

Albeit most who are infatuated with Palin are just beginning to articulate their reasons, the general consensus is that Sarah Palin is truly the breath of fresh air Americans needed to inspire them and give them real “hope for change.”

Why does she inspire Middle America? First, she is one of us—like a good neighbor down the street. It is natural to omit her formal title of “Governor” because she strikes ordinary Americans as just “Sarah.” No matter what smears the lefties spread, Sarah is likely to just grow stronger with the people who count—the voters. What the mainstream media will never be able to appreciate is that ordinary Americans are yearning to trust someone like a self-proclaimed a “hockey mom” to run our country—not anyone from the elite class in Washington.

But on a deeper level for religious conservatives, Sarah Palin is more than momentary “juice” to the Republican base. Sure we are elated that Sarah is pro-life and pro-family. But, my initial reaction was more spiritual. That may sound melodramatic, but I felt her choice was, in a word, biblical. (For those not steeped in religious conservative culture, having the feeling that God is working through Sarah Palin is kind of like the “tingling” that Chris Matthews says he has in his leg when he thinks of Obama.)

I immediately recognized that the Palin surprise paralleled the story of Deborah in the Bible’s Book of Judges. Recounting the ups and downs of the Israelites over a thousand years before Christ, Judges presents the reader with a higher understanding of just how God works through unexpected and unlikely people to accomplish His plans. Thus, the story of Deborah the prophet shows us that just when we think we have things “all figured out” (and there are plenty of people in both political campaigns who think they do) God will do things His way.

In the account of Deborah, the fearful and timid men of Israel are urged by Deborah the prophet to confront the enemy army, but the Israelite leaders will only agree to fight if Deborah goes with them as their commander. Exasperated, Deborah agrees, prophesying that a woman (God forbid!) would have to deliver Israel. Yet, in a twist of events, the deliverer is not Deborah, but another woman who is a biblical version of the modern-day “soccer mom” named Jael the Kenite. Read the full story in Judges 4.

So, for religious conservatives who were afraid that the first female president would be a woman they fear, they now have a 21st Century Jael the Kenite in the form of a heartwarming surprise—Sarah Palin.

God provides, my friends.