November 1 – National Elections

       Daniel 4:25b - "...Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."

       There is always much hype and many conflicting campaign promises surrounding a national election, whether it be for president, prime minister, senators, representatives, and the like. Most folks are opinionated regarding who will be leading their country and who will have the most authority in crafting legislation. After all, things like financial stability, health, morality, freedoms (or the lack of the aforementioned) may be at stake in the outcome of an election. However, the Bible has some different thoughts regarding our elected representatives. The leading scripture above, outright states that God is in control over the authorities of this earth, as most societies had monarchies for the authorities. However, don't think that humanity could outsmart God, by changing their ruling structure to a body of representatives, who sometimes are elected by millions of people voting them into office. He can even use the corporate voice of a nation in his overarching purposes. Psalm 33:10, 11 state that "Yahweh foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of Yahweh stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." Nothing surprises or alarms God when we find that the most ungodly candidate has won the election.

        One has to remember that believers in Jesus are aliens and strangers on this earth (1 Peter 2:11). Our kingdom and citizenship are in another dimension (Philippians 3:20; John 18:36), and we eagerly await our savior (and ultimate leader and ruler) from heaven. Therefore, we should not lose hope whenever "our candidate" is not elected. Psalm 118:8,9 tell us that it is "better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to trust in man....[or] in princes." Jesus knew that political power was not the answer for a better life on earth. He stated in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews." Our fight is not ultimately a political one. Our fight is also "not with flesh and blood, but with....the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Ephesians 6:12]).

        On the contrary, we are told to pray for "....all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." God wants "all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). This requires us to put aside our feelings of disgust to purposefully intercede on behalf of wicked, mean, arrogant, self-seeking, rich politicians, who we sometimes can't stand to look at.

        The biggest fight, Father in heaven, is within our own sinful nature, which does not want to die to its petty selfishness. We need to ask for your intervention in our nation's people and leaders, as individuals who need your light.