One of my prayers over the last few weeks has been that there would be a decisive winner of the presidential election. God in His providence has answered that one “no,” and as I write (Thursday morning), we still have not determined a winner. Who knows how long it will be until the dust settles? Hopefully days, and not months.
Opinions are strong and diametrically opposed about each candidate in our country at a macro-level, as well as at the micro-level within friendships, families, and churches. In my own family, perfectly innocuous and light-hearted conversations begin, then shift to discussion-level, then upgrade to debate, then advance to all-out argument with thick tension and high blood pressure (I grade out as a solid “C” or so over the last couple months in terms of remaining calm and cool).
The polarity of our politics has a winner-take-all, loser-cast-into-outer-darkness feel. More than ever, we Christians out to remind ourselves of two important truths in the Bible.
- God is seated on His throne and He rules over all things. Abraham Kuyper once wrote, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” For that matter, every molecule that exists does so under the Almighty Power of the living God:
Isaiah 46:9-10 — for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose . . .’
Proverbs 16:33 — The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Job 42:2 — “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
Whether we are elated or dejected by the outcome of the election, we know that our God is not thwarted by votes or viruses. He is moving and working, and His purposes are far beyond us. Our job is to be faithful and to trust in Him.
- There is a great danger when it comes to our leaders – we are tempted to put our hope in them.
Psalm 146:3-5 — 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
We ought to be engaged in the political process, and advocate and argue. We ought to fight for the things that are worth fighting for in this amazing country in which we live. We should speak up and not be quiet. Our culture is in many way rotting from the inside out and desperately needs reformation, and God’s people should be engaged in working for the true, the good and beautiful. But we also must remember that no election winner will save, and no mere mortal has the answers we need. Jesus alone does. We hope in Him and we work to be faithful to Him.
I just spoke this morning with an NAPC member this morning who is giving 3-4 hours a week serve in Linden. Every week he spends time with elementary school kids to teach them schoolwork and teach them Jesus. He cares about the election and has his opinions. But regardless of the winner, he is showing up in Linden every week.
Friends, whoever wins or loses the 2020 election, God is in control. We put our hope not in princes or presidents, but in Jesus. May we faithfully serve Him.
Pastor David