To Whom It May Concern

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.

Psalm 20:7,8

As we sit anxiously awaiting the results of our election that is now 48 hours past, I was reflecting this morning on the last several months of prognostications and even so-called prophecies from the pulpit of victory for a favored candidate. Prophecies uttered that offer hope in form of a leader of an earthly kingdom. Prophecies that ultimately have done nothing to advance the gospel of reconciliation between man and God. Prophecies that have done more to divide the Bride of Christ rather than unite her. And my heart breaks, because when we the church practice religion for the purpose of advancing an earthly kingdom, we have lost sight of the Kingdom of God that transcends all earthly kingdoms.

Yes, earthly governments have their place in God’s ordained order. Romans 13:1 makes it very clear “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” There are times that God will provide a Godly leader as a time of respite and other times that God will allow an ungodly leader for the purpose of discipline and the testing and strengthening of our faith. You need look no further than the books of 1 and 2 Kings to see this cycle repeated over and over again.

Was God not sovereign over the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah even when ungodly kings ruled and instituted pagan religions that allowed for the sacrifice of children to the god Ba’al, Asherah, and Molech? Was God not sovereign when He chose David, a man described as one “after God’s own heart,” to lead the nation from under the ungodly rule of Saul, only to watch him fall to the sin of adultery, covetousness, and murder? Was God still sovereign when the people of Israel were carried away to live in exile in Babylon? Was God still sovereign when He allowed His only Son to be nailed to a cross for the sins of the world?

Of course He was still sovereign. Of course He was still on His throne. Of course He still loved His people. We cannot possibly know God’s immediate plans in the here and now. But I guarantee you, He has a plan and He is working it to completion.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8,9

Now let me be clear: I’m not saying that the church should not be involved in governmental affairs or the electoral process. By all means, as a citizen of this country, we have a duty to exercise our Constitutional privilege to vote and right to voice our religiously informed conscience at the ballot box. I’m not disputing that. But I am worried that the attitudes with which we exercise our rights muddle the vision and distract from our ultimate allegiance to God’s Kingdom.

My friends, I beg you to be patient. I plead with you to allow the results of the election to play out. But more importantly, I beg you to keep your eyes on the King of kings and Lord of lords. Regardless of how this election turns out, He will still be on His throne. So what if your candidate doesn’t win. Our ultimate allegiance is to the Kingdom of God and His Kingdom has stood the test of time and will continue to stand against the very gates of Hell itself.

Secondly, I ask that you carefully reconsider your attitudes towards those that vote differently than you. Such judgement is unbecoming of the very fabric of our American society. More importantly, especially within the body of Christ, such judgement will keep us divided and at each others throats. Forgive one another. Love one another. Live the gospel like your life depends on it, because quite frankly, it does.

Finally, we must repent of our self-centered covetousness. We must repent of using the pulpit for the purpose of advancing an earthly kingdom with shallow prophecies designed to offer false hope in a fallible kingdom. We must repent of taking our eyes off the cross and fall our our knees at the feet of Jesus in humble submission to His Lordship. Then, and only then, will we ever know true peace.