[Published BEFORE election results are in, with the belief the following applies whichever candidate wins.]

God is NOT in control of this election! We the people are.

When the day is done and the results are in we cannot say of the winner, “It is God’s will.” Unless you also want to say that it is God’s will that Eve ate the apple.  Eve eating the apple and the outcome of this election are not God’s will but rather the result of we humans exercising our God-given free will.

Of course God could have been in control but he delegated that to “we the people” a very long time ago.  We have been given the gift of free agency with the ability to make choices.  Here in the United States those choices include being able to determine our leaders through free and open elections.  When the election is over we will get the leader we have asked for, not the leader God would want for us. Might they not be one and the same?  That is theoretically possible but I believe it is absolutely not the case in this election.

Even as the primary season began we had already been using the wrong criteria to fill  the pool of potentials.  We were looking at candidates through the eyes of the world rather through God’s eyes.  We were not seeking a person after God’s own heart  (The criteria God used when he selected David.).  Instead we sought out and nominated candidates from a posture of fear. We have asked questions like: Which candidate is the strongest and most powerful?  Which candidate is the smartest and wisest (with the wisdom of this world)?  Which candidate has the most influence?  Which candidate presents best?  Which candidate can best keep us safe and secure, both physically and economically?

I do not and cannot judge where any candidate stands in their relationship with God.  But this I do know:   Based on observable behavior–not just recent but also life-long patterns–we will elect a candidate whose character does not mirror that of God, whose values and priorities do not align with God’s, and who does not love as God loves.  We will live with the consequences of our choice for the next few years.  But there is hope!

1 Chronicles 7:14  says, “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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

I suggest our starting point for humbling ourselves may very well be with admitting and confessing our sin for our part in this election.  Let us pray:  “Heavenly Father, we humbly come before you confessing our sin.  We as a nation, jumped out ahead of you and we have freely chosen our leader for the wrong reasons.  Forgive us. Help us to move forward from here in the right direction.  Draw close to the leader we choose and give guidance and direction.  Speak to our leader’s heart and mind.  Soften the heart of our leader so that there can be genuine transformation.  From where we stand today, work for the good of your people and heal our land.  Amen.”