The Vote
The Vote
I
am quite happy at this moment. The vote
is taking place as I write this. It is
nearly seven on the east coast and the first polls will shut down. The talking heads on TV will begin to dissect
every exit poll, try to discern every strategy, analyze whether there will be a
shift of power and predict what all of the data might just possibly mean. None of this is what makes me happy. I am happy for a lot of reasons, but the
reason related to the vote is that soon it will all be over and we will have a
modicum of peace and quiet. The
political signs will soon begin to vanish from yards and roadways. The pollsters will stop calling. The armful of daily political ads will vanish
from our mailboxes. The vitriolic television
ads skewing the truth about how bad the opposing candidate is will soon be
replaced by news reports of the winners skewing the truth about the greatness
of their impact on society. It’s amazing,
and it is the epitome of what makes this republic great. However, it is also tiring, annoying and as
of late, it seems that methodology has divided the nation as never before. Even more disturbing, this division is
finding its way into the Kingdom of God.
I
wonder how God feels about our political play – not the issues, but the way we
address the issues and work through this system designed by men. I also wonder how He feels about the vote we
treasure so passionately. I wonder how He
feels about the way we individually approach the ballot. After all, God has not fared well,
historically, when His people take to the ballot. Maybe it is better stated that God’s people
haven’t fared well when we take to the court of popular opinion. We know from Revelation that God wins in the
end. He gets most of what He wants. For those who just sat up straight in their chairs
and exclaimed, “It’s impossible for God to not get everything He wants!” Remember, God desires that everyone shall be
saved, but He also has been the first to admit that most will be lost. True, there is a party being planned post
Judgment Day, but there will be a Judgment Day and I am convinced God will shed
at least as many tears for the lost as anyone else. I also think He winces a bit when we take to
the court of public opinion.
The
vote over the golden calf did not go well.
Not only was God voted out, the church people did not fare well. They hadn’t learned their lesson by the time
the spies went into Canaan. A vote was
taken and everyone lost out. An entire
generation was lost in the desert so that God might begin anew. Even with Joshua as an inspiration, it did not
take long for votes to be cast and for God to get the axe. Again it happened when church people chose a
king over God’s system. Samuel was so
wounded by the event; God had to remind him that the people were rejecting Him,
and not Samuel. On and on through history
the church people of both the Old and New Testaments took to popular opinion and
God got the heave ho.
I
hope and pray that today when God’s people took to the polls and voted that God
did not lose out. After all, we tend to
choose that which is attractive and not that which is beneficial to the Kingdom. The last few generations have also tended to
forget that when Judgment Day finally arrives, only one kingdom will survive. I wonder if our votes today reflected a
conscious realization that the true King looks over each of our shoulder, that
each vote addresses the needs of two kingdoms – One eternal, one temporal –
conscious that wants are sometimes misconstrued as needs, and conscious that in
being human, we are predisposed to vote against the King.
1
Timothy 2:1-8(NIV)
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
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