Your Response to the Election

 Good morning, and welcome!

Today is bright and sunny outside, a Good morning change from the past several days of clouds and rain.  Welcome clouds and rain, I might say.  We’ve been dry for quite some time in this neck of the woods, and the days of rain, thunder, drizzle, and clouds was very welcome.  And, as I understand it, we can look forward to more of the same in the coming days.

The election is over.  Races have been won and lost.  People are ecstatic and people are depressed.  Some are welcoming in a new golden age.  Others are prophesying the end of the world as we know it.  But many are neither ecstatic or depressed.  For many of us, it’s just another event in history…a temporary blip on the screen.

You may wonder why, if you’re one of the ecstatic or depressed people, anyone could look at the results of the election, whether on the national or local level, and consider it to be just a blip on the screen.  Is it because we don’t care?  Is it because we’re ignorant of the issues of the day?  Is it because we are hermits, out of touch with society?

The answer to all of those questions is, “No.”  We do care.  We are certainly aware of world and local events of the day.  And, we have no desire to isolate ourselves from the greater society.  We are, however, aware of something much greater than the election results or the world situation.  We know who is in charge of things.  We know who it is who orchestrates human events.  We know what the ultimate end of things will be.

As Christians, we are keenly aware of several things said in the holy writings about governments and who is indeed in charge of things.  Listen to what Paul the great apostle said about government and the authorities.  And remember, Paul was living under the Roman occupation when he wrote this.  This comes from the letter called Romans, chapter 13.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good.  But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason.  They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Another apostle, Peter, says this in I Peter chapter 2.  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.  Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

And finally, let’s look at some Old Testament passages…some of which occurred during the time Israel was being held captive by Babylon.

In this passage in Proverbs, God calls himself Wisdom and says this:  I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;  I possess knowledge and discretion.  Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.  By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth.

Daniel, when he was interpreting the King’s dream, said this about God:  Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.

When Jesus was before Pilate before his crucifixion, a conversation ensued between him and Pilate.  Here is part of that conversation:

Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

One difficulty in fully believing these verses regarding God’s role in establishing governments and authority is that we don’t understand why God would place this particular person in authority or why God would institute this particular government.  And because we don’t understand why, we have a difficult time believing that God would do such a thing.

Why would God allow Joseph Stalin to seize power in Russia in the 1900’s?  Why would God allow Adolph Hitler to come to power?  Why would God establish the North Korean government that presently exists?  Why would God place Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump or Mr. Obama or Mr. Bush into the presidency?  And we can go on and on with our questions which for us have no answer.  We don’t get it.  We don’t understand it.  We can’t bring ourselves around to admit that what the Bible says about God establishing governments is real and truth.

Well, I have no answers either.  But I do have this:  From Isaiah chapter 55…this is God speaking here:  My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So, believing this and having an understanding that we will not know the why…and resting on the truth that God really knows what he’s doing, what is our job?  What is our responsibility as Christians?  In sum, I think it is this:

Paul says in the Ephesian letter, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

At least one of our responsibilities as Christians is to settle down and do those good works God has prepared for us.  It is NOT to obsess over the election results.  It is NOT to broadcast the end of the world as we know it.  It is to quietly and without fanfare live our daily lives, expanding the kingdom, relieving suffering, raising families, and worshipping the only God.   May God bless you as you seek to do His will.