Only Jesus Can Make America Great Again
Hopefully, you already knew this, but Election Day is right around the corner! It's finally here. This is the day that America decides between two candidates that have been the focal point of possibly the most controversial and divisive election in our country's history. We have people on both sides who truly believe that if their candidate loses, it will spell destruction for our country. In the midst of all the chaos surrounding this election, I would like to propose something to all of my brothers and sisters who are a part of the body of Christ...
There is not as much riding on this election as we all think.
Before you angrily tune me out and close me off, hear me out for a few more paragraphs. I agree that whoever gets elected could make a huge difference with regard to our country's laws and policies going forward. The candidates have very different thought processes, and they will appoint Supreme Court justices who will further their personal and party agendas for years to come.I agree that this is important, and we all have a responsibility to get out and vote for the person whose policy lines up best with our Christian values. However, even if the person that we choose to vote for doesn't win, and our country doesn't adopt our personal values over the next 4 years, it changes absolutely nothing about how we are called to live our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. The result of this election will not change the fact that God is sovereign, and it certainly won't knock Jesus off of His throne. God is not worrying about the results of this election, and neither should His people!
Related Post: The Mark of True Discipleship
We have witnessed some great division within the body of Christ as a result of this election. I have seen post after post talking about why Jesus himself would vote for a certain candidate. Some people are adamant that Jesus would vote for Donald Trump, while others are adamant that there is no way Jesus could support Donald Trump and would certainly vote for Joe Biden. I am not here to advocate for a certain candidate on Jesus’ behalf. What I do know is that division within the body of Christ is the last thing that we need right now.
That would be a far greater win for Satan than any election result.
At the end of the day, I think we can all agree that neither of these candidates have their mind set on advancing the gospel and pushing forth the agenda of Jesus Christ. Jesus never promised us political leaders who would have that agenda. He promised that government leaders would be given authority to carry out punishments on those who do wrong. He also promised us a world system that would be set up against His way of thinking and living, and that any of us who truly live as disciples of Jesus would be persecuted just like He was.
For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:4)
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)
Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mark 13:13).
My wife and I were having dinner some friends this past weekend, and the topic of the election came up. One of our friends said that he couldn’t wait for the election to be over with, because all of this craziness would finally be over. The more we talked about it, we realized that this was not true. We realized that the day after the election might be the worst day of all for the social media rants and arguments.
The day after the election will be the day Facebook and other social media sites are chalked full of controversial posts and doomsday propaganda.
There will be people from the winning side rubbing their victory in the face of the people they have been arguing with for the past six months. Perhaps even worse, there will be people from the losing side ranting on and on about how our country is now doomed to failure. I’m sorry friends, but that is quite simply not how members of Christ’s body are meant to react. No matter who wins this election, Jesus is still on the throne, and people outside the church need to see the church living out that faith far more than they need to hear the church saying it.
The truth of the matter is that Donald Trump nor Joe Biden can make America great again.
Whichever candidate you are voting for might have the power to make America look a little bit more like you think it should, but neither will make America great by God’s standards. The only way a nation can look great in God’s eyes is if that nation is full of people who are so humbly submitted to Jesus that they consistently and passionately lay down their own lives for the sake of their brothers and sisters around them.Jesus is the only one that can make America great again, and His church is His chosen vessel to bring about His agenda in this country and this world. To say that only Jesus can make America great again is to say that only we, as the body of Christ in America, can make America great again. There is absolutely nothing that can stop us from doing that, from being His hands and feet on this earth.
It does not matter who is elected.
If the person that is elected chooses to uphold Christian values and further religious freedom, great! We will have less worldly opposition towards reaching people for Jesus. If the person elected decides to institute and enforce laws that go against Christian values and bring about persecution, great! The church thrives in the midst of persecution! The best part is that God promises that He will be with us no matter what situation we find ourselves in.
I urge you to do the following:
Instead of turning to social media to see what everyone is saying about the results of the election, fast social media. Any time that we feel like turning to Facebook or Twitter, we thought it would be better to stop and to pray. Pray about what God wants to do in each one of us personally. True change in this country starts with each of us on our knees humbled before God. Ask God to destroy the selfishness and pride in each of us individually would free us up to live a life surrendered to Him and led by the Holy Spirit, which is the only thing that will further God’s agenda of bringing heaven to earth!
For the kingdom is the LORD'S And He rules over the nations (Psalm 22:28)
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah (Psalm 67:4)
By all means friends, get out there and vote next week (or early vote)! Pray earnestly about who you should vote for, and pray about which candidate’s policies best line up with God’s word. Maybe God even wants you to respectfully and lovingly encourage others to vote for a specific candidate. At the end of the day, when you finish voting, leave your worries and fears at the polls. God instructs us not to worry about anything (Philippians 4:6), and that includes presidential elections.
Read this to understand how to vote and also how to talk to other people about voting: How Christians Should Navigate the 2020 Election
Activate the faith within you, and trust that Jesus is still sitting at the right hand of God advocating on our behalf. Trust that God is still Sovereign and that we walk in the victory that was purchased for us on Calvary no matter who is president.