Take A Deep Breath...

As the presidential election enters the home stretch, I am hearing more believers hyperventilating over the possibility that their candidate might not be elected.  If you listen to some, you get the impression that it will be the end of civilization as we know it.  Some of my Christian friends on social media are resorting to the same kind of name-calling, mud-slinging, and crude joking that has characterized so much of the campaigning to this point.  In the midst of the hysteria, may I remind us of a few things?

• 1. Our earthly citizenship is not the highest priority.  We are citizens of a heavenly realm (Philippians 3:20).

• 2. Our King rules over a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly kingdom (John 18:36).
• 3. God’s command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44) applies even to political enemies.
• 4. God doesn’t promise to protect our standard of living or way of life. He does tell us to expect persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
• 5. Our hope for the future isn’t grounded in ANY particular human governmental system.  Our hope is in God and His Son Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 4:10; 1:1).

If you have the opportunity to participate in choosing your governmental leaders, then be thankful for that.  If you are free to give voice to your beliefs and opinions, do so in a godly way.  Do what you can to make the world around you a better place.  But don’t give into despair if things don’t go your way.  Remember that most believers throughout history have lived and worked under far worse situations than we are experiencing.
Regardless of who is in the White House, in Congress, or the Senate, the King of the universe is still on His throne.  He will see us through the worst that this world can devise against us in His way and on His time.

God loves you!

Mike