Day 21 – Proverbs 21

This post is written by a Christopher Burcham who is the pastor of Union Hill Baptist Church in Clemmons,NC. He is an excellent writer, loves the Lord and is a great friend. I know you are going to enjoy this post…

So lets get to it shall we?

Does anyone need any reminders that we’re in the middle of an election year?

Exactly one year from yesterday, in fact, representatives from every branch of the United States government will gather on the steps of the West Front of the Capitol to witness the inauguration of the president and vice president.

The race to determine precisely who will place their left hand on a Bible and raise their right (to be sworn-in) on that day is now well underway.

Republican presidential wannabes have been circling each other warily for months and, though this actual election year is still less than three weeks old, we’ve already witnessed no fewer than 21 debates thus far in this presidential election cycle alone.

Lately, each debate stage seems to be graced with fewer podiums than the one before—as candidates are steadily being winnowed out and pushed from the race.

This has been a particularly tumultuous week in the political world—with one shocking twist and head-snapping turn after another!

Depending on the outcome of today’s vote in South Carolina, by nightfall, we may know the identity of the eventual Republican nominee who will take on President Obama in the fall.

Of course, given the unforeseen developments of the past few days, it’s equally possible that tonight’s results will be still more muddied, with weeks—or even months—of uncertainty looming ahead.

Although the actual election is still more than 9 months away, many voters are feeling dispirited already—faced with the prospect of likely having to choose between re-electing a president widely perceived as a failure or taking a chance on replacing him with a moderate Mormon multimillionare .

As one with more than a passing interest in politics and government, I confess that neither prospect has me terribly excited at this point. In fact, I’m so conflicted that, much as it pains me to admit it, I haven’t completely ruled out sitting out the first presidential election of my adult life rather than vote for any of the likely candidates in the general election this coming November.

Humanly speaking, it’s tempting to conclude that we’re facing an increasingly grim future—no matter who manages to occupy the Oval Office this time next year!

Scripture, however, suggests an alternative view: quite the opposite, in fact.
Proverbs 21:1 reminds us that “the king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.”

This passage reminds us that, while we can scarcely keep up with all the political developments even of the last few days and cannot even begin to predict the outcome of the next several months, we serve a God Who knows all and is surprised by nothing!

The Lord not only knows the outcome of every political contest, He already has a plan to use every decision of the eventual victor as a means of carrying out His good and perfect and eternal purposes!

The Bible makes it plain that the heart of the king (or, in our case, the president) rests securely in the Lord’s hands—and that He can and will direct both the heart and the course of our leader as easily as He might any rivulet or stream of running water!

Reminding ourselves of that fact and keeping it at the forefront of our minds should give us great comfort as we approach the ballot box. While we are responsible to make conscientious decisions and to cast informed votes, the outcome rests entirely in the Lord’s wise and good hands and, even when our own preferred party or candidate comes up short, the Lord Himself is still very much on the Throne and remains fully in-control!
In fact, it only stands to reason that—whenever our elected leaders are of a party or persuasion other than our own—the wisest course we ourselves can take is to redouble our prayer efforts on their behalf: imploring the Lord to direct their course in precisely the way He would have it to go!

When our responsibility is thus concluded, we can more easily take a step back and rest easy as we wait on Him to do what He has promised TO do, letting Him have His will and His way . . . right up to that last day when He Himself shall occupy the throne for all time and eternity!