“This is my Father’s world, o let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world, why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King, let the heavens ring! God reigns, let the earth be glad!”
These words were in my head all day yesterday it of course being Election Day. With anxious and uncertain feelings flying around my brain, I was fully aware that the outcome could be disappointing, and when the results were announced, my heart dropped in my stomach and my head was filled with thoughts of fear, animosity, and danger. I suddenly became overzealous for the sanctity of life, marriage, the security of our “religious” freedoms, and the significance of this war, even more so than I ever had before. It would have been so easy for me to join with everyone else who was making absurd comments like “Today, freedom and liberty died” or “Our country is going to erupt into war and death and destruction.”
Soon afterwards, two of my close friends and I went into another room to just talk and share what was on our hearts and minds and pray. As we shared our thoughts, we were encouraged by each other’s hope in Christ. My friend Betho talked about when the Israelites had leaders all over the spectrum, good leaders, bad leaders, leaders that followed God, leaders that ran from God. They had kings, and judges, and leaders of armies, and a kingdom or nation far more struggling than ours. But whatever the state it was in, certain things remained the same. The people still rebelled, God still used anyone and anything to bring glory to Himself, He was still faithful, and He was still good. As we prayed, tears of uneasiness, uncertainty, and anxiety filled our eyes…filled our blind eyes, filled our earthly eyes. Our eyes that cannot see what Christ sees, our eyes that cannot expect to see the great things that our Lord has for us and this country, our eyes that cannot conceive His power and His ability.
While I watched the results throughout the night and saw people everywhere across the country react to who got what state and how many electoral votes were going to what person, I saw these people put all their hope into this one person. During McCain’s concession, I saw his supporters’ distraught and woeful faces, like there would be no hope for tomorrow. When I watched Obama’s victory speech, I saw his supporters look at him like he was their savior, like he is the chosen one coming to rescue us. I saw all this hope put into one fallen, flawed person. Never have I felt so not of this world. Never have I felt like such an alien to this earth. Don’t get me wrong, I am so proud to be an American, I love this country, and I was so proud to have been able to vote in this historic election, but I left the TV so joyful and thankful that my allegiance is to a good and all-powerful and loving God. A God who knows the needs and desires of each of His children, and works in each of their hearts according to His perfect and beautiful will. He is my leader, He is all my hope and surety, and I know He will never be shaken or overthrown. He is my God.
“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
But the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
-Psalm 146
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