While mowing my lawn the other day, I was listening to music from a service I have. One of the ads caught my attention. It basically said, "Due to recent events, do you need counselling? Do you need professional help or psychotherapy to get you
through?"
Of course, I knew what "recent event" was being referenced. I smiled as I remembered the same event four years ago when things had not gone the way I had hoped. Of course I had been disappointed, but I needed no counselling, no psychotherapy, I did not need to scream and bang my head against the wall, I did not need to rant and rave, and I
didn't need to take time off from work to join a "healing group to deal with the pain".
I simply remembered that God is in charge, and He has His own agenda. And I was thankful for that reality, which gave me peace. And, I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus when He basically said to Pontius Pilate, "You would have no authority over me unless
it was given to you from above."
Based on that, there is no ruler or authority on Earth that can operate without God allowing it, and for His own purpose. This does not presuppose, however, that I couldn't vote for the candidate that most aligns with what the Word of God teaches.
For this, I start right back in the book of Genesis. There, I read about the sanctity of life (Genesis 9:6), and I read that Israel is important to God (Genesis 12:3), etc. Then as I read through the rest of scripture, I read about the importance of religious liberty, the responsibility of man to work, the responsibility of man to obey laws, etc.
So, at this time of year, when there are many things to give thanks for, I add the right in this nation to have the freedom to choose, to vote. And I'm grateful to have the lens of God's Word to gain a better understanding of what His perspective would be.
I'm also grateful that, in an election year, I'm not voting for a perfect person, a national or state pastor, a religious leader, or a savior. I'm grateful that those positions are already eternally determined and sealed in one man - Jesus! I'm voting, rather, for a human candidate - flawed as he or she may be as a human - who will hopefully govern in a way more consistent with the principles of God's Word.
