No Matter What, God Is Still on the Throne

 

By Debbie McDaniel, author, crosswalk.com

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

He came home from school wearing his "I voted" sticker and slumped into the chair.

My 6-year-old son, lover of all things sports-related, had just “voted” for the first time in his elementary school’s mock election - vote for your favorite team sport. Apparently, his choice was not the most popular.

"Hey Noah, did you get to vote today?" I asked.

"Yeah, I but didn't win," he answered with a defeated voice.

"Well, did you vote for what you believed in?"

Quietly and slowly, still thinking it through, he responded, "Yes."

"Were you willing to take a risk to stand up for what mattered most to you?"

He pulled off the round sticker from his shirt and examined it from all sides, "Yes. (long, dramatic sigh) But, I still don't like losing."

And today, close to half of our nation may relate to those feelings. It’s never easy to lose. It's discouraging. Disappointing. You may feel defeated and wonder why it all didn't go your way. Or why others didn’t see things the way you did.

Many will celebrate election results this evening. And, many others will not. Yet no matter which side of the race you’ve been on over these long months, this truth remains... every time we’re willing to have a voice, to take a stand for what we believe in, we “Win.” And we can trust God with the results.

The enemy is at work more than ever during these times. He will seek to divide believers and stir up strife and hate.

Don’t fall for that trap.

Whether it’s in election season or just daily life, we win when we do what God asks us to do. We win when we’re willing to live wisely. We win every time we choose to obey His word to the very best of our ability.

There’s great freedom there. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from defeat. Freedom from anger and hate.

Nothing has taken God by surprise. Not ever. He’s on the throne and Sovereign over all. He has a plan and is at work on behalf of His people, “for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14

Our prayers matter, our voice matters. We can choose to move forward from here with grace. We can choose to stay involved, to have a voice, to be engaged, and maybe more than ever before, to make a difference in our nation.

May we be ever faithful to pray for all those in authority, for the leaders of this land. May we be brave to speak with wisdom and discernment, and to live these days with hearts of compassion and love. May we be strong to follow God’s voice, even when it’s not the most popular choice in our culture.

I was reminded this morning, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21:1

God’s got this. He’s got us. He is powerful and able to do far more than we could ever imagine.

Grace and peace.