News flash. We have an election in this country. But it is important not to allow one election to overshadow another – the election of God in you.
Election
The Bible tells us, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” Eph. 1:4-5. Really smart people will fight over what it means to be elected, but the bottom line is God loves you so much he died for you and chose to adopt you. Like a wonderful parent chooses to adopt a child, God chose to adopt you.
The world around you does not control the world within you. Greater is He that is in you than He who is in the world. 1 Jn. 4:4. With all the problems around us, it is hard to unplug, take a breath, and recognize no one voted God out of office. He is still in control of all things and his love for you is not affected by the circumstances around you.
Gospel Hope
Every week Administer Justice welcomes neighbors into a local church to meet with a lawyer and loving team of people. Legal challenges are confusing and often overwhelming. When you add to that all the conflict in the world around us, it can be too much to handle. But when you encounter people willing to listen to you – not shout at you – who demonstrate true compassion and concern, it changes you. As one client recently commented, “It is an AMAZING organization to help when you feel hopeless. It provides JOY and STRENGTH.”
I love that our volunteers are loving neighbors no matter who is in the oval office. They share the truth that God loves you. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9. It is not only politicians who are narcissistic. We all are. We want what we want and put ourselves in the center of our world. But it is not our world. It is His. And when we stop demanding our way and surrender to God, He welcomes us into His family as a precious child, deeply loved by Him. That is His election of you.
How to Look at Election
Don’t get overwhelmed by the elections in this world but instead be comforted by the election of God’s love for you. And when it comes to elections in this world, allow me to share great advice from another contentious election in 1774. John Wesley’s advice to Christians then sounds like good advice for 2024. He said,
“I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election and advised them
- To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.
- To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and
- To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
God is still King. You are His precious child, and nothing can change that.
