I am intentionally writing this note on Tuesday afternoon, before we know who will be elected president. For many there is a certain amount of fear surrounding elections and politics. We worry that if we don’t elect the right leader, our nation will be doomed. Truthfully speaking there are consequences. Nations do rise and fall with their leaders. But even more true, and more comforting, is the reality that no leader is elected, appointed, or installed outside of God’s sovereign control (which implies that even if a nation falls, then that is God’s will). Beyond that, the fact that we have national and local leaders, whatever we may think of them personally, is a good thing. Having leaders is better than the alternative – a people without rule or law. We may or may not like the leader we are given. But do not forget Who gives them. And He is not afraid, nor should His people be, for He is King over all kings. This is how I am preparing my own heart in anticipation of a new(ish?) national leader. No matter what happens, God is in control, and He appoints leaders for His purposes, including our general good. In other words, I meditate on God’s word to us in Romans 13:1-7, and encourage us all to do the same!

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.