“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
Daniel 2:20-22
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
As I write today, November 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 Presidential election, and the winner is not yet clear. It will probably be a few days, and maybe longer if the courts become too entangled in the election. This has, with little question, been the most contentious election season in my lifetime. The stakes for America’s future have probably never been higher since the vision of the way forward is so totally different between the two candidates and their respective parties. The election tension has been compounded by racial unrest (Black Lives Matter), rioting and looting in several cities, violent opposition to the police, and, most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged our economy and has taken many lives.
Needless to say, many Americans are in a tizzy. They want their guy to win. Each campaign accuses the other of “stealing the election” through either voter fraud or voter suppression.
Maybe I can bring a little perspective for those of us who follow Jesus. I’m not addressing who should or should not win the election. I am addressing how we carry ourselves during this time, regardless of the election’s ultimate outcome. So, I offer a couple of truths that can help us walk faithfully with Jesus during this time.
God is Sovereign
In his back and forth with Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel declares that God changes “times and seasons.” That isn’t referring to seasons of the year. God had already settled that the seasons will always remain as is when he established his covenant with Noah. (Genesis 8:22) The times and seasons are on a grander scale in human history. We refer to these times and seasons, such as the time referred to as “post WW 11 America” from around 1945 to 1960. A time of great growth and prosperity. Then, the season was characterized by the “beatniks” and “flower children” of the 1960s and 1970s. These are cultural times and seasons. Daniel declares that it is God who changes the times and seasons. That may refer to political seasons as well. The Presidency of Donald J. Trump ushered in a new season in the political arena, whether you are happy about that or not. It has been a new season. Whether we continue in the Trump season or shift to a Biden/Democrat season is ultimately God’s decision. Some may think this is a cop-out, but I see it as looking at history from God’s point of view rather than our own point of view.
It is right that every American participates in our political process and does our best to persuade our fellow Americans of the direction we believe to be the best for our nation. Every eligible American should vote. Voting is both a privilege and a duty. I say all of that as a prelude to another statement by Daniel, “he removes kings and sets up kings.” In our form of government, the reference is to Presidents rather than kings. Ultimately, God is the one who chooses who our President is. He uses the means of our political system, but the outcome is determined by heaven.
God has his own purpose for every nation. He has used both good and bad nations to perform his purpose in history, which ultimately leads to the New Heaven and New Earth, and all things are made new. Redemption is then complete. It is difficult even to contemplate that the Lord could possibly be through with the United States being the dominant force for good in the world. But we know that this life is temporary and not eternal. The United States of America will come to an end sometime. This whole world will be done away with in fire before the ushering in the New Heavens and New Earth. So, where are we in the “times and seasons” of God’s purpose? I don’t pretend to have a prophetic insight into things at that level. However, let’s see what else Daniel has to say to us who follow Jesus.
he gives wisdom to the wise
Daniel 2:21b-22
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
The first step to being wise is to fear the Lord. Jesus-followers are God-fearers. We are eligible to receive wisdom. Jesus-followers also have an understanding that unbelievers do not have because they do not fear God. God knows what is in the darkness. Our immediate future is darkness to us. We cannot see that clearly. However, the light dwells with him. When we walk with Jesus and abide in him and he in us, we will often see what others do not see. I am not advocating some kind of gnostic insight. I do mean that God can and sometimes does enable us to see what is not obvious on the surface if we only look from an earthly point of view. Our citizenship is in heaven while we live on earth. We should be able to “step back” and see things from the 30,000-foot vantage point.
So, God is sovereign. He establishes governments according to his purposes. Those who walk with him are eligible to receive wisdom and knowledge from him to see to some extent, what is in the darkness. Most of that insight comes from Scripture directly as we are enlightened, and the Holy Spirit renews our minds. Sometimes, God pulls back the curtain and allows us to see what is not visible, but that is unusual.
Joyful Prayer is Our Job
For those who may be having anxiety attacks over possible the outcome of the election. (The election has not been called as of the time I am writing). Paul has instruction. It may sound naive, but it is God’s word, therefore not naive.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Really? Yes. Note that the rejoicing is not in electoral outcomes but in the Lord. Jesus is referred to as “the ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5). He is also the “King of kings and Lord of lords.” It is in him that we rejoice. One of the great mysteries of Scripture is how God uses evil rulers to accomplish God’s righteous purposes. The most famous is, of course, Pharaoh of Egypt. Without the pressure on the Jews created by Pharaoh, it is doubtful that Moses could have gotten the Jews to follow him out of Egypt and on to the Promised Land. The times and seasons changed from the days of Joseph when his family had great favor from Pharaoh, and it became a season of oppression as a part of God’s purpose. That is hard to see when you are in the midst of mud and straw. Then you don’t’ feel like rejoicing. Again, the focus is rejoicing in the Lord, not in the lousy circumstances we are in.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. What does that mean? The word translated here, “reasonableness,” is also translated, equitable, fair, mild, and gentle. That is both a statement of character and demeanor. How do we do that? In the context, it has to do with our relationship to the Lord and our view of the world. The Lord is at hand; therefore, we should not look at everything as one who is only an “earth dweller.” Remember, we are heavenly citizens. We have another perspective on life, an eternal one.
With this perspective, pray about everything with thanksgiving. Let God know what you are feeling and what you believe about what is going on around you. Let it all out. Cry out to God, if need be. And be thankful that you can come into the presence of the Creator of the universe with your issues, and he welcomes you. That realization will change your personal perspective on your circumstances. When we do this, we have a wonderful promise that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. No anxiety attacks. No heart-attacks from stress overload.
Recognizing God’s sovereignty has practical effects on our hearts when we are in undesirable situations and have concern for the future. He is sovereign over nations and kingdoms, and he is sovereign over my personal circumstances as well. This will help us to keep peace in the midst of stress and chaos.
May the peace of Christ be yours and may he grant us all eternal perspective.
