On Tuesday, a majority of the people in the United States of America went to the polls and elected Barak Obama as the 44th President of this country. For many Christians where I live, this was a sad, sad day and one that has driven them to despair and lamentation about the next four years. For some it's God's judgement on our country for the moral state we've allowed to take hold. For others this is evidence of sin and the falleness of the world in which we live. I've heard a lot over the past 48 hours from Christians about the trajedy of it all, but what I haven't heard a lot of is praising God for his sovereignty and absolute will that was done on Tuesday, November 4th.
See, here's the thing: Romans 13:1-7 is pretty clear on this subject, and keep in mind, Paul was writing to Christians who were living under a government that fed them to lions for sport. "what God has appointed," "God's servant," "minster of God," these are the phrases the Bible uses to describe President-Elect Obama. From before the foundation of the world, God the Father, put into motion things which would lead to what happened this past Tuesday. His plan for Barak Obama was for him to become our president, and his plan for our country was that Barak Obama would be our president at this time.
So often I accept God's sovereignty as a kind of "parting gift" for not winning the real prize: what I want. It's like I just chalk all the crap that happens, everything contrary to my will, to God's sovereignty and resign to live under it. Instead, I should see God as always, in all things, working to spread his glory and the fame of his name, and view his sovereignty as an integral component of that.
If that's the case, then not only is President-Elect Obama God's sovereign will, but his being president is the most glorifying to God over anything else that could have happened last Tuesday! I need to be able to look at the big picture, and see this election for what it really is: God bringing his will to pass and glorifying himself in amazing ways. Then, I need to get with the program and glorify him myself.
5 comments:
I love that you wrote this. I am personally rejoicing that Obama won, but my family and friends back home sure aren't. But the point is - God is in control no matter what. I love the perspective of "back when they fed Christians to lions for sport"! Awesome. Thanks!
Stephy: Thanks for the encouraging comment. It really is, are we going to trust God's sovereignty or not? I mean, this brings up a whole new set of issues and questions that have to be answered, and I'm not for a minute saying this can or should be used as a "divine mandate" for all Obama (or anyone else) does as president, but it is a really big deal if we believe that God not just allowed Barak Obama to become president but actually ordained him to be so.
Totally. I wish more Christians had this perspective, because that really is the whole heart of it. Instead they take it on themselves to worry themselves sick and feel we've provoked God's wrath. Ugh. The night of the election we I wrote this post about watching the votes come in with my 6 yr old, in case you wanna take a look, it's sort of along the lines you wrote about in this post. :)
http://lollytruly.blogspot.com/2008/11/electoral-votes.html
Umm... What about Hitler? And...Blog.
-Anonymous
Okay, Anonymous, I'll take the bait: what about Hitler? I can't find a way to put any limitations or conditions on God's sovereignty or ordaining of leaders, and that includes Hitler. Do I think that what Hitler did flew in the face of God's teaching and his character? Yes. Do I believe that the things Hitler did as leader of the Nazi party were terrible? Yes. Do I beleive that he was ordained by God to be the leader of Germany during that time? Yes.
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