The Morning After

It is true that I am disappointed generally at the outcome of yesterday's elections. One issue which I hoped would fail (the stem cell initiative) passed, and some of the candidates which I supported were defeated. Nevertheless, I am not in mourning. Everytime I see the world around me making choices that I consider to be questionable or plain despicable, I turn my eyes toward the sovereign power of God and find peace.

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.

- Daniel 2:20-21a

His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

- Daniel 4:34b-35

I am confident that God will set everything right in the end. That gives me ultimate peace. By the same token, I don't consider living for Him aggressively to be unimportant. I will still live with integrity, pursue justice for others, and seek to shine for Christ in whatever way I can, but I will not become defeated in attitude when my culture steers further from God. I partially accept that as a matter of the reality of evil in a fallen world. At the same time, I recommit myself to the battle of bringing the truth of God to light in the darkness.

Political avenues of change are never my first priority. My first priority is to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. Votes will never rival the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. I value my voting power. I cherish, to a much higher degree, the power given me in prayer.

In November of 2008 the tide may completely turn and many of the issues and candidates that I favor may become validated at the polls. But even if they are, my attitude must remain the same. Even when the people I agree with are in power, they are still fallible sinners like me. We can never allow God's hand to be removed from the cradle of our existence.

God reigns.