I admit it. I want my guy to win this presidential election.
War, government, and politics are a huge part of my story. I am the son of a WWII prisoner of war (my mother) and naval officer who served his country for 27 years (a Democrat and Republican respectively). In junior high I won a "state Capitol" trip for missing one question out of 200 on a United States Constitution exam. I was also a member of the Harry S. Truman club that year.
Choosing to major in political science at UCLA was a no-brainer and I spent two summers in the former Soviet Union back in the 80s during the Cold War. Over the years my beautiful wife and three kids have all suffered and learned from my passions for history, politics, and cable news late into the night. They have also welcomed Camp Pendleton Marines into the house for Thanksgiving, and my kids have thanked them for saving their grandma. I own a flag and fly it proudly every chance I get. When I hear the national anthem, I tear up. My best friend is a Marine F-18 pilot. When I see a uniformed military men and women in the airport I thank them for their service. Red, white and blue are not colors or stripes to me — they are emotions.
It is no surprise to anyone that my patriotic magma is about to burst forth a bright orange spectacle of either elation or depression on November 7th. By Wednesday morning only one of America’s best hopes for president will remain standing as our president-elect. But here is the kicker: both the men and the results of this election have the capacity to hijack the hopes or ransom the fears of Christians nationwide at the expense of their faith in God. And unlike Barack and Mitt, God does know us and is watching to see what happens to our faith in Him when only one of them wins.
"Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God" (Psalms 146:3-5).
This is strong biblical medicine for God’s people on Election Day. Whether your guy wins or whether he loses, God is concerned with where your faith in him and life for him goes in light of the result. He knows that many followers of Jesus are heavily invested in the outcome of this election and he wants to remind us that all political outcomes pass through God’s filter before man’s ballots and the electoral college. On Wednesday some of us will say, “God allowed this outcome.” Others will say, “God wanted this outcome.” But either way, the outcome must not hijack my hopes or ransom my fears from God’s perspective. Neither the failures nor successes of men suggest failures or successes for God in my life. The failure is if I permit their failure or success to obscure my view of and hope in God.
I admit it. I want my guy to win this presidential election on November 6th. But I want God’s Kingdom in me and through me to win more in the days that follow. Way more. Regardless of who wins the White House, our eyes must be fixed on the man riding the white horse described in Revelation 19 Neither Barack nor Mitt will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant." Jesus will.
I am backing that horse.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm (Proverbs 20:7-8).
Kenny Luck is the men’s pastor at Saddleback Church and is the founder of Every Man Ministries. Kenny’s 20th book, SLEEPING GIANT: No Movement of God without Men of God, is the proven blueprint for men’s ministries, and was recently released through B&H Books.
Publication date: November 5, 2012
