Reluctant voters, less than sparkly candidates, and the Kingdom of God

Let’s have a bit of a sit down. Is that all right with you?

These are wild times, wouldn’t you agree? We’ve got a nation of reluctant voters trying to decide between two candidates that aren’t so sparkly. On the daily I read article titles and status updates that smack of the-sky-is-falling.

It’s enough to get my anxious little heart all fluttery with worry over tomorrow, the next four years, the next thirty years.

Hm.

Shoot.

Jesus definitely has something to say about worrying about the future, right? Don’t worry about tomorrow…today’s got enough trouble of its own. 

Friends, can we leave off staking our lives on this election? It’s not good for us. It’s junk food for the soul. It’s a distraction from what we’re to be about.

Should we be informed? Heck yes! Obsessed? NO WAY! And it’s getting far too easy to be fixated on what he/she said or what emails were released or how he said this or that horrible thing.

And can we pretty please stop breaking relationships over it? I’m tired of reading status updates which invite people who disagree to “unfriend” them. The other day I read a status that read, “I will never, ever be friends with anyone who votes for Hillary”.

And that was from a Christian woman.

Have we completely forgotten who we are?

Before we bear the title of American, we have so many other names.

Beloved of God. Child of the Most High. Follower of Christ. Dearly adored. Image bearer.

And before our citizenship was in this nation (or any other if you’re visiting this blog from outside the U.S. … by the way, HI!) we have a home first in the Kingdom of God.

Ahead of president or governor or mayor or senator, we are under the reign of The Creator. He is our King, our Lord, our Savior.

Our only savior.

Sunday morning as I drove to church in the wee, pre-sunrise for worship band practice I felt cynicism creeping its way into my heart. I shook my head and prayed that it would go away. It’s not natural for me, cynicism isn’t. It aches, drags me down, makes me despair.

“I don’t want that for my heart,” I prayed.

I went inside the church building, rehearsed for the morning services and caught my breath. Sometimes it’s just nice to refocus the heart.

But then during the service, I caught the words of a few of the songs.

“One name is higher, One name is stronger than any than any grave, than any throne, Christ exalted over all…”

“Jesus, You have rescued us…”

“The only king who reigns forever, who is like our God?”

And then this stanza from a hymn I have dearly loved since I was a little girl:

“This is my Father’s world, oh let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong God is the Ruler yet.”

Peace. Comfort. Relief.

We are God’s dearly loved. His glory is found in red-orange-yellow leafed trees and in the smiling face of someone we love. He is mighty to save, to transform, to forgive. His mercy is new every single day. He has but to speak and His creative work is made. He breathes life into us and comforts us in our suffering.

He knows who will win this election. He knows what will happen in reaction to it. And, know this, He is making all things work together for our good and for His glory. 

Don’t worry about tomorrow. He holds the moon and stars and our hearts in His hand.

They’re gentle, His hands, and full of healing for His kids.

We are His.

And we are loved so much that our hearts could burst.

Let’s love each other.