I’ve been
thinking lately about my Christian friends who keep telling me that we have
only two options in the upcoming Presidential election, so we must vote for
Trump. Their thought process goes something like this: someone from one of the
two major parties will win the election, and they will be responsible for the
naming of several Supreme Court Justices. If Hillary wins, she will choose
judges who support the murder of our unborn children, so we must vote for Trump
to keep Hillary out of office. I find this thinking to be incredibly flawed. This kind of thinking discounts that
fact that 71% of Americans identify as Christians, 48% as Evangelicals. If each
and every Christian went out and voted on election day, we could easily elect a
godly man or woman into office. In fact, we are obligated to do all that we can
to elect a godly leader. We are not dependent on one of the two major parties
to pick our options for us. We do not have to use our vote to vote against one
person. We can use our vote to vote for a good candidate.
This kind of
thinking totally discounts a mighty God who “sets up kings and deposes them”
(Daniel 2:21). It seems to me, that these Christians are forgetting that God is
all powerful. They are forgetting just who they serve or maybe they are
forgetting just how much He cares about righteousness. I have confidence in God
and His work in this election. I take heart in the words in 2 Chronicles, “if
my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin and will heal their land.” I wonder how many of us have
repented of our sinfulness here. What have we done to encourage and support
godly men and women who are seeking office? Have we worked their campaigns,
donated money, talked them up with friends, family and coworkers? I wonder how
many of us have really sought God’s face in this election. How many of us have
fasted and prayed? How many of us have bothered to research third party
candidates to see if there might be a man or woman after God’s own heart
looking to be our next President? I fear that the answer is not many.
I am told that I must choose
chicken or fish. Steak is on the menu, people. Not only is steak on the menu,
it is the best dinner. On top of that, you seem to forget that I am the child
of the owner. If he feels that steak is right for me, that is what he will give
me for dinner. I am telling you to look over the menu. If you don’t want
chicken or fish, don’t order it. Ask for the steak. Tell your friends that
steak is available. Trust the owner.
My last thought on the issue
is this: if one of the two front runners wins the election, that doesn’t mean
that my vote was wasted. My job is to look at all of the options, popular or
not, and to vote for the one that will bring God the most glory. That is
because my purpose is to glorify God in ALL that I do. I don’t see that the
words and actions of either Hillary or Trump are at all glorifying to God. If God
chooses to put one of them in office, that is because He knows what is best
(possibly what will bring us to our knees in desperation). I stand with three
of my heroes here. “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O
king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods
or worship the golden image you have set up.”
(Daniel 3:17-18 go ahead and read the whole thing).
