Let me go ahead and get this out of the way before you read any further..........
VOTE!
I voted. And yes, I believe we should all vote. But make no mistake, my hope is not attached to that ballot or any candidate. My confident hope is in the One who has already seen the outcome.
I don't say this because my heart is apathetic toward this upcoming election. I assure you I am not trying to appear proud or be an arrogant Jesus-juker. If there were any specific way that I could prove it to you, I would try to help you see how genuinely confident I am in God. My hope is that you are confident in our Heavenly Father too.
It seems that I have this discussion every 4 years. I often get misunderstood as if I'm trying to downplay the idea of voting and its importance. I also get lumped into the common political worldview that most evangelicals get associated with. Without getting too far into the weeds, I will tell you that both assumptions are false.
I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. My hope is firmly in Him. Yes, I see what is happening around me. Yes, I speak out against things that I know displease the Lord. Do I always put those things on social media? No. I do not believe social media is the best platform for me to speak on such issues. Fortunately, God provides much better opportunities for me in my line of work.
I don't put much hope in elections. One, politicians are all flawed human beings, just like everyone else. Without God, the plans of man will be disastrous.
Secondly, we've all seen the choices. Character is nowhere to be found. The "other" choices don't offer much. I mean....Kanye West was an option on my ballot. I wish Kanye the best. I pray his life-change is authentic! However, his instability and inexperience are surprisingly the norm amongst those running.
Point being, I don't put my hope in the candidates and those elected. It doesn't make sense to. I put my faith and hope in the One who is sovereign and bigger than all of this.
Living in an optimistic confidence in God is consistent with scripture. Look at Paul. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
Look at Habakkuk when he said in the midst of total disaster, "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places." Habakkuk 3:17-19.
My encouragement in this post is not just telling you to vote or who to vote for. My encouragement for my brothers and sisters in Christ is to operate with the confident hope found in Christ!
Regardless of the outcome of this election, the day that follows should be filled with hope for all of those who know Jesus Christ. Regardless of the outcome, our role as Christians should be to love our neighbors to include those with a differing worldview. We should be committed to praying fervently for whatever individual occupies the office of U.S. President, even if we fervently disagree with his/her worldview. Our job as Christ-followers is not to advocate for a politician, it is to advocate for Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy!
There are many things that I wish were different in this world and in our nation. I look around at the distress of our country and it breaks my heart. Again, I understand the importance of us all doing our part, using our voice (vote), and striving to make things better for the next generation. I just wish we'd put more effort into serving one another. Christ will unite. Following His example will bring about real change. However, we will not see perfection until we're living with Him in eternity. The best use of our time now is to love and serve.
When you view this election and the eventual outcome, commit to how you will love and serve. If your choices don't reflect genuine Christ-like love and the demonstration of service, ask yourself "why?".
I want to see our country strong. I want to see families live with happiness and purpose. However, most importantly I want everyone to see Jesus.
Simple post. Yes, I know. That's by design. Jesus made it simple (Matt 22:37-40).
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