So many of the governments, the ruling authorities in this temporal, human world, are controlled and run by dictators. There is no freedom, no individual rights or rule of law, and no constitutions which protect the people, the citizens of that country. No freedoms at all.
Those human beings, God created, have one burning priority, which totally dominates their lives. That is, the prayer, the hope, the wish for:
FREEDOM.
They want to live their lives, pursue their destiny, develop their talents, change without fear, and most importantly, worship as they please or not, and speak as they will without fear of retribution. That simply doesn’t happen, whether in Iran, Iraq, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, North Korea, and so many of the African and Central American countries. THERE SIMPLY IS NO FREEDOM!
Not so in America. We The People have, and so often take for granted, what those poor human beings pray for every day. That is, freedom in every facet of our lives, and especially the freedom to:
VOTE.
We American citizens can elect those who would govern, those who would exercise the power of our constitutions, to govern, interpret, and rule. We can vote for anyone we wish; or perhaps tragically so, we are not required to vote at all if we so choose. Perhaps unfortunately, should we choose not to vote, we would still enjoy the freedoms, the lifestyle, the benefits, the protections, and the guarantees which our great and one-of-a-kind America still offers. We can choose not to vote when people the world over are ready to even give their lives if necessary for the rights to choose their governments and their leaders, whatever the cost. I for one think that to be the strongest kind of dereliction of civic duty. That precious right, privilege and opportunity was ours Tuesday, November 5. We had the privilege of electing 537 men and women, leaders who would govern, rule, and make decisions for our lives for the next 2, 4 or 6 years. Those leaders would choose the next Supreme Court justice, determine our military policies and investments, secure our borders or not, protect our incredible rights under the First Amendment of our Constitution, including the freedom to worship, the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition, and perhaps most importantly to millions of Americans, determine in moral terms, America’s position on abortion, the murder of the unborn, whether or not we would support Israel, how deep our American debt would be, our policies on taxation, and so much more. I wonder how any individual could watch those policies unfold knowing that he or she never voted. IT IS OUR AMERICA (WE THE PEOPLE) A PRECIOUS REPUBLIC, IF WE CAN KEEP IT! I wonder if we can.
Franklin Graham reminds us that the Bible clearly teaches that governments are ordained by God to restrain evil and enable righteousness to flourish (Romans 13:3-4). Graham believes that it was and is our Christian duty to pray and vote for candidates who best align with and stand for biblical principles. I hope and pray that you did just that.
The Apostle Paul admonishes us, we the Christian people, in I Thessalonians 5 that:
WE SHOULD TEST EVERYTHING; AND HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD.
I pray we elect leaders at any time who believe just that.
In recent years, the evangelical, the biblical church, has made concessions to the demands of this apparently anti-Christian culture, so much so that the power of the gospel in our society has been watered down, abused, ridiculed, and in so many ways rendered null and void. So many of the once fiery and faithful pulpits have fallen silent, refusing to speak out against the moral decay of this present time, fearing retribution or alienation. It is well past time for those in the pulpits to experience a full-boar revival and return our pulpits to the mission of the real gospel once again.
But, my fellow Americans and my fellow Christians, when the elections are over, when our leaders federal, state, and local have been chosen, it is time for us to put aside partisan differences and to pray for those in office as we are so admonished in scripture:
PRAY FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM!
But then comes the next phase of our civic responsibilities, and as such, we should never neglect our duties as citizens or relinquish our duty as those citizens to make certain that our leaders exercise Godly wisdom in public life. We can not withdraw from public life. The Godly wisdom of biblical Christians is needed now more than ever and it is our duty to make that happen.
But perhaps most importantly, never forget, my fellow Christians, the marvelous admonitions of our Lord in Matthew chapter 6 where we are admonished in verse 25:
THEREFORE, I SAY TO YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT DONOT TWORRY
YOU WILL EAT OR WHAT YOU WILL DRINK.
Or anything else for that matter, and especially the world of politics. We live under governments ordained by God, rulers he allows, and perhaps it is up to us, We The People who cherish the good, to do our very best to make certain that our leaders do what is good. As long as we do everything we can and should, we can rely upon the fact that the will of God, the will of our Lord, is at work, and his will shall be done. So then, whether or not we understand or agree with everything which happens in this world, we can know it is God ordained and we should:
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!