Political Musings from a Biblical Base
Posted by: Jeff Adams in Scriptural Application for Everyday Life, Social Commentary
Did you listen to the big VP debate tonight? I was looking forward to it, but I had the chance to hang out with some of our students tonight and discuss missionality. Sorry, Sarah! See ya later, Joe! By the time I got home I just got to hear the last little bit before the debate wrapped up. No big deal. I’ll watch later. And, I’m sure there will be many media heads to tell me what I’m hearing.
I did have some political thoughts this morning as I was reading through Psalm 85. Here’s the passage that captured my attention.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Psalm 85:8-13
The context of this psalm is messianic, of course. There are, however, some great principles to guide us even today as we contemplate the upcoming elections and the current economic crisis.
First, this is a time to learn to listen to God. Our prayer is often seeing how loudly we can cry out to God. I am thinking more and more that prayer ought to be as much as listening to God as it is talking to God. In the midst of an historic time in America, are we listening to hear what God might be saying? Have we learned to listen in the circumstances, crises and concerns? Or, as the psalmist would suggest, are we running square into the midst of folly driven by our fears?
Second, are we looking beyond the current situations to see the salvation and glory to come? Wisdom does not ignore the crisis of the moment, but yet looks far beyond the moment to see the big picture of God’s plan – surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. Do we really see this, believe this? This long range, big picture thinking is what enables us to fear God, not to fear circumstances or current conditions.
Third, as we look toward November elections, putting all party affiliation and personal interests aside, which candidates reflect the beautiful and balanced truth of these verses? In which candidates do we see this balance of mercy and truth? Righteousness and peace? Think about this for just a moment. The question is not which is the “Christian candidate,” rather which candidate most perfectly reflects this balance of mercy and truth, righteousness and peace? Let’s be honest – there are plenty of Christians who are so messed up they are off the chart! And, while we are being frank, there are non-believing individuals who more accurately reflect certain aspects of biblical truth than many believers. Our societal elections are to elect people to govern by truth, mercy, righteousness and peace, not to elect a pastor.
Register to vote. Be an informed voter at all levels – local, state and national. Prayerfully consider the men and women who are running for office, and vote for those who most accurately embody biblical principle, regardless of their personal religious affiliation or lack thereof, and regardless of party affiliation.
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This morning I received from the Lord the thought “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH that I will fix and take care of all your past, present and future situations in your life”. Rapidly I check my Bible and turned to Proverbs 3 where I found “Trust thee in the LORD with all of your heart and be not supported in your on wisdom. Acknowledge HIM in ALL your ways and HE will fix up your paths”(I am translating from spanish).
Sometimes we have the natural habit to look just what is in front of us. What friends, relatives, associattes from work or the media tell us. So we don’t “look beyond the current situations to see the salvation and glory to come” We don’t account the fact that GOD IS THE KING and that HE REIGNS over the United States, over America, over 5 continents, over oceans, over EL SALVADOR, over every created thing, over this universe. GOD has solved already our future. The future of our family; the future of our economy; the future of our government all these things were already solved in the sacrifice of JESUS at the cross.
After reading and understanding and knowing what GOD told me in Proverbs, the idea that GOD is going to take care of everything has been bouncing in my mind bringing me peace and security. It feels so good to have freedom to succed as well as to fail knowing that GOD is going to fix up all situations around oneself. As I write these lines I recall the words of Paul “all things work for good to all who love GOD…” and the fear to who’s going to run for president and vp really isn’t my main concern for I understand and believe that GOD is in charge. Neither is my main thought how economy is going to turn around or if the FDIC will honor its duty in the worst of the events. However, I do pray in obedience to the Word for all men, for those who are in office so that we may live quietly and peaceful pleasing the Lord. Let us do what we can which is to register and vote in the confidence that GOD is in control of the visible and the invisible.
Let us trust in our GREAT GOD AND LORD JESUSCHRIST and see the great salvation to come.
Oscar Jiménez
Sheryl and I made a point of watching the VP debates. I’m sorry you missed it. It was exactly as we were hoping. Hope you get to see it.
Yep. They replayed it last night, or early this morning. Not sure. They run together sometimes. But, I saw the whole thing is already up on YouTube in case someone else missed it. Very interesting!
Politics are such a hot topic right now! Either way, whichever candidate one chooses to support, above all God’s sovereignty is so comforting. Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
I strongly agree with Rachel concerning this election; that “above all God’s sovereignty is so comforting”. The question has to be, do we believe that enough to see it reflected in our vote? Have we so confined ourselves to a two party system that we’re willing to compromise biblical standards in order to vote for someone who is “electable”? I often hear even among Christians, “well, I’ll be voting for the lesser of the two evils”. If we compromise as such, do we truly believe that there is a sovereign God that places the Kings in office? if there is a 3rd party choice that would be more honoring to God’s standards, and we ignore him because of “electability”, are we yeilding to a sovereign God or to something else?