Hammer on Anvil '

As I write this, President Obama has been projected to win the election. Not all the states are in, and it's just a projection, but it is certainly looking like he is going to be serving another 4 years.

I found out this information by checking a couple websites, but really the only site I needed to turn to was Facebook. Already, after only about 30 minutes of this news, my news feed has blown up with election statuses. 

These statuses are anything from "YES!!! WE DID IT! HE WON!" to "I'm so incredibly disgusted. Our nation will never survive." It is a little funny to me because some of these statuses are by 8th grade students who never show interest in our political process until the states start changing colors on their TVs. 

Now, I went to the polls today and voted. I colored in the little bubbles and slipped my paper into the neat little box. I had in mind who I would have liked to see in office (not just for President). But I am not freaking out one way or another (some I voted for have been elected and others have not). Some people may tell me that is because I'm ignorant and uninformed. Some will say I just don't care enough. 

I think it is because I have a God who is bigger than our political process. My God has not ceased to be in control just because one person has been put into office and another has not. Check this out:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (Romans 13:1)

Paul wrote this verse during a time when Christians were being persecuted by the government. Caesar wanted himself to be the only "god" people worshiped. He was a terrible person, who committed terrible evils. All you have to do is look at history. People being dipped in tar, crucified and lit on fire to light the streets; the Colosseum, and blaming Christians for the burning of Rome were all things the government did.

Yet Paul still says to be in subjection and that there is nobody in power, except who have been established by God. For me, that is encouraging. It may seem random, or contrary to God's will that a person is in power, but that is not what Scripture tells us.

There is a reason certain people have been elected today. Take heart in knowing that God is still in control.

 I'm not going to tell you what to do politically now that the election is over. What I am going to tell you to do is pray, and I don't mean that stupid "pray that his days may be few" prayer. What happens if you are so busy praying that his days are few and then someone else even worse takes his place? Or what happens if her days are few because she is killed without ever knowing our Savior? Please use wisdom.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

 Pray for our leaders, that God's will be done. Pray that if they do not know the Savior, that they respond to the salvation God offers.

I'm not worried. My God is so much bigger and has proven He is still in control. We may not understand the outcomes of this election, but I guarantee that this didn't catch God by surprise.

Keep living out your faith. Keep spreading the gospel.

And pray with wisdom.

One of my mother's favorite things to say about me is that, since I was a little girl, I could "work a crowd like a politician." It was her way of saying that I was really good at commanding attention and entertaining people. This week during my Bible reading, I came across some verses that really made me look at this pun in a new way. Check out this story of David's rule:


A heavenly Adversary arose against Israel and incited David to count Israel. So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people so I know how many people there are.”
But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase his people a hundred times! Sir, aren’t you the king, and aren’t they all your servants? Why do you want to do this? Why bring guilt on Israel?”
But the king overruled Joab, who left and traveled throughout all Israel...God was offended by this census and punished Israel.  Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done! Now please take away the guilt of your servant because I have done something very foolish.”...When Gad came to David, he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of fleeing from your enemies while your enemies’ sword overtakes you, or three days of the Lord’s sword, that is, plague in the land and the Lord’s messenger bringing disaster in every part of Israel. Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”...So the Lord sent a plague throughout Israel, and seventy thousand Israelites fell dead. 1 Chronicles 21: 1-3, 7-8, 11-12, 14.


Over the centuries, the word "politician" has become synonymous with "cheater" and "liar". Citizens are predisposed to believe that one political party or other (or both) is full of scheming, self-serving manipulators. And while the saying "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely" has its basis in fact, it is certainly not true for all persons serving as leaders of our country. The real truth is that most politicians do not start out with the intent to do harm. Most are driven into a tough profession by a desire to make a difference; to truly be a "public servant".


David's mistake in the above passage was thinking the people of Israel were his. In Old Testament times, only the owner of such things as livestock or servants had the right to count them. Several times in the Bible we see God commanding His chosen 'public servant' to count His people. This census was of David's doing, for David's own selfish purposes. Only after the deed was done did he realize he had sinned against God. You see, David forgot that he was merely a steward of God's people-not their master. Because of that mistake, the people of Israel were punished. 


A country's leader is responsible for its people, and his sins cost those people, not just himself. The people of Israel were punished, not because of their sins, but because of their king's. It was a heavy burden for David to bear, knowing he was responsible for the death of so many. 
  
Time magazine did a slide-show of before and after photos of presidents. You can check it out here. Say what you will about each of these men, but there's certainly no doubt that their years served did not go easy on them. Instead of spending our time criticizing the decision of our president and congressmen, we should pray for them. Regardless of their decisions, mistakes or political party, we should lift up our leaders to the Lord as often as we can. It is the best service we can offer to our country, and maybe it will help us to begin to view politicians as people again.