Well, this is embarrassing. It’s been nearly two months since my last post. How is that even possible? Is time really moving that quickly? I guess the best answer is always an honest answer, so the truth is I’ve been so busy doing ministry in my own home church that it leaves me precious little free time to write about things that are important to me personally.

Being a holdout that favors the Classic WP editor, my first surprise was to find that I am now forced to learn how to use the Block editor. Oh well, I’ll simply add this to the ever growing list of new things I’ve had to learn over the past two months. There should be an old saying I could insert here about how learning new things keeps your mind sharp, or something to that effect. If there is I cannot remember it. So much for staying sharp!

With all of that out of the way, I feel compelled to offer up a few short words of encouragement to anyone that may need them. I hear from people nearly every day that are discouraged, weary, stressed, and very frightened concerning the upcoming Presidential election. In particular, what I hear mostly is grave concern over the direction our nation is headed. It seems that regardless of which side of the political fence you are standing on, the “other side” is the sure and certain path to destruction.

Regular readers of this blog (if any are still around) no doubt remember that I share the sentiments of those who are deeply concerned about the direction our nation is headed. My concern lies in the fact that as a nation we have forgotten where our true strength comes from. In short, just as ancient Israel rejected the Lordship of the Almighty, so have we.

For all of the grievous sins of the nations of Judah and Israel, God ultimately allowed these nations to be carried away as slaves to Babylon and Assyria. Having ignored the near constant pleas of the Almighty to return unto Him, these nations nonetheless rejected God’s offer of grace and mercy, determined to rule themselves by their own intellect. Sadly, Israel’s history was all too brief, lasting but 207 years. Her sister Judah lasted a bit longer, having existed for 344 years before being carried into Babylon. Apparently, it doesn’t take all that long to self destruct does it?

I point all of this out to show that God can and does run out of patience when the nations forsake Him. For this very reason I am persuaded to believe that God has lifted the hedge of protection once enjoyed by this nation, and we are seeing the results of His turning away from us on a daily basis. There is no need for me to go into the details, for it is plain for all to see that we are walking the same roads as every nation before us has walked who chose to reject the Lord.

One thing we can know however is that no matter which way the election goes, half of our nation will not be pleased. We will still be divided, perhaps more than we currently are. If that isn’t enough to cause you concern, I don’t know what is. Animosity, hatred, and bitterness will still be on full display for all to view. This is what happens when the Source of our strength has been forgotten and abandoned. Love, kindness, and civility are tossed out like dirty dishwater, to be replaced by ugliness and brutality.

So, what about those words of encouragement I mentioned? Firstly, as to what will happen in the upcoming election, there is One who already knows the outcome, and we can take solace in the fact that the results will not take Him by surprise. I take great comfort in knowing that God is orchestrating things according to His plan for mankind. Of course, that doesn’t mean I understand all of it. His ways, after all, are beyond my understanding. I simply choose to trust Him. Amazingly, as I have come to learn, the Lord doesn’t need my approval (or yours), or my permission!

Secondly, no matter the outcome God will still be God. He will still be the same God who “is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”(Psalm 46:1). This is important! Our fears over things that are out of our control speak volumes about where our hope lies. To put it in plain English, we cannot go to church on Sunday and sing “He’s got the whole world in His hands”, while on Monday we’re wringing our hands over things we cannot control. Is that faith beloved? Is our hope in things above, or is our hope in the outcome of an election?

Finally, I believe a change in perspective and attitude is in order. Maybe what we should be doing is instead of living in fear of what might be, we should live in gratitude of what God has already done for us. Maybe, just maybe, a grateful heart will cause us to see more clearly that the sky is not falling after all. Perhaps an “attitude of gratitude” is the key to unlocking the faith and hope that so many seem to be lacking. The fact is that it really does not matter who resides in the Big White House. What matters is that we learn to trust completely upon the Lord for our needs, not some politician who will say anything to get your vote.

All of these are reasons why I am grateful to be a child of God. I am a temporary resident of a world gone mad, one who is looking forward to the day when I step into a world “where the former things are passed away“. I cling to the knowledge that every king, ruler, or president is accountable to God for how they have handled the authority entrusted to them. And yes, we can be sure that God is watching.

He rules by His power forever;
His eyes observe the nations;
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

Psalm 66:7 NKJV

Take courage friends! God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Ron