It’s a terrible burden to live under, the notion that everything depends on my vote every four years. Don’t misunderstand me. Voting matters and it is a very great privilege. One I take seriously. I study the issues. I pray and seek to vote my Christian convictions. I pray for godly leadership. But I don’t put my trust in any man. To quote the Russian writer, Ivan Tugenev, I do not know what the heart of a bad man is like. But I do the what the heart of a good man is like. And it is terrible! I’m a member of a political party (you can probably guess which one) but I don’t look to the party to save me. Parties are flawed. Men are flawed. We are the fallen sons and daughters of Adam. Marred by sin. And thus, the best of us are flawed, a mixture of good and bad. Our leaders are mere men who sometimes do good and sometimes do bad. Some are more flawed than others. Some strive to do right. They desire to rule righteously and genuinely seek to serve the nation well. Others are dominated by baser instincts and crave power, lusting after glory. Most are somewhere in the middle. Desiring to do right but struggling with the baser instincts. This is why we are called to pray for those who are in authority over us. This is why we must ultimately trust in One who is ultimately good. A sovereign who is never up for election but reigns eternally. Our hope is in the LORD, our God.
“But pastor, there’s fraud. This election is being stolen.” That is to be determined. My point is,
whether it is or isn’t – nothing changes for us. Regardless who takes the oath of office in January or who resides in the White House the next four years or who controls the House or the Senate, our assignment is the same. We are to live out our faith. We are to love others and boldly proclaim the Gospel. We are to stand for truth and righteousness. We are to call men, woman boys, girls and nations to repentance. We are to declare the love of God and salvation through the person of the Lord Jesus with great joy. We are to warn of the coming judgment through tears. We are to care for the poor, the needy and the hurting with boundless compassion. “Well, that’s going to be a lot harder to do with the loss of religious liberty and the increasing demand to join the sexual revolution.” No more so than our brothers and sisters around the world who live out their faith daily with the threat of the loss of their lives. No more so than most of the Church throughout most of its history!
I’m just saying we cannot claim the sovereignty of God in the midst of comfort and then deny it when things get difficult. “Are we to accept good from the LORD and not trouble?” What do you do if you end up with Nebuchadnezzar as a ruler? You live like Daniel! You best serve your nation when you serve your God well. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the days or weeks ahead but I’m saying, ultimately, our assignment does not change. My prayer is that God will bless our nation and guide our leaders, but more importantly that God will empowers us to be the church!
I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod