POLITICAL UNREST

    I feel like the title of this blog says it all. We live in a politically divided world, and not just in our own country. I think most of us are afraid to mention our political leanings for fear of being shamed or losing a friend. For me, I have very strong political ideas, but I don't share them because I don't want my message to be about politics. My message to the world is about Jesus. I don't want people to see my leanings and tune out what I am trying to say because they disagree. I want them to know they can come and listen to what I have to say and hopefully go away knowing more about Jesus and feel compelled to draw closer to Him. 

     Did you know that in Jesus' time, there was great political unrest too? This may be a shocker to you, but Jesus fanned the flames of politics with all of His "Kingdom" talks. If He wanted to stay away from pop culture and not ruffle feathers, He would have talked about the Christian world view with words like "family" or "friends" instead of "kingdom". But He didn't. He wanted to reach people right where they were at, challenge them in their thinking and give them hope for something greater; something not of this world. 

    The people were all too familiar with kingdoms. They lived under Herod's kingdom but also the Roman kingdom. Not to mention the religious kingdom that had them doing all sorts of monotonous things to be "right" in the sight of God. There were traitors, spies, espionage acts, dirty politicians and murderers. The Jewish people were under the thumbs of a couple of kingdoms and paying for it with their wallets, their lifestyles and sometimes with their lives. So you can imagine that when Jesus came on the scene giving them another option of politics, they were quick to listen. 

     However, Jesus' politics were not what they were used to hearing. He was talking about a religious kingdom - a God Kingdom. And about salvation and bread of life and waters you could drink from eternally and never go thirsty again. He talked about knowing peace when war was raging all around them. Then He went head to head with the Jewish religious leaders and said that the Temple belonged to God and the people but it was being used for corruption and gain. Even the way Jesus died, by crucifixion, was political. The Romans used that form of torture and death for those who bucked against their imperial authority. 

     Yes, Jesus knew all about politics and participated in them. But Jesus' message was not about being political and His kingdom is not earthly. Listen, if what we needed was a great politician, Jesus would have come as one. But we didn't need rescuing from a government. We needed our sins forgiven and a way to get to heaven. Jesus came as our Savior. 

     I am writing this before I know the outcome our elections here in the USA. I don't know who's going to win or lose. But I DO know this: God is in control and you can trust Him. In Daniel 5, He is reminding the king about his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar and how God caused him to lose his mind and brought him under God's control. Verse 21 says, "He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them." 

    I hope you see what I am trying to say. No matter how you prayed and wanted the outcome of your governments election to turn out, God is the one who makes the decisions. He is not surprised by the outcome. If your candidate didn't win, pray for the one who did and trust God that He will lead in the way that is in line with His ultimate plan.

    Maybe God is going to ask us to have to really live out our faith. There are people in this world who don't have religious freedoms. Sometimes I wonder about us in the USA who have it so easy. How would we do if the church were to come under persecution? Are you ready and firm in your walk with Christ that you could defend your faith and share your faith, even if it meant a jail sentence? How about a death sentence? Let me remind you right here of what I have stressed before...even if the worst thing happens, which is death because it is a true separation, you still have nothing to fear.  If you are the one to die, congratulations! You, like my darling husband, have won the battle. If you are the one who is left, congratulations! God is about to show up in your life in amazing ways. It is time for the church to take a stand and bring God back into our lives, our children's lives, our neighborhood and our politics. If you don't know if you have a relationship with God, search it out today! 

    Here's my final thoughts: I don't know what is going to happen, and yet I do know that it's not a mistake and it's not by coincidence. God is in control and you can trust Him with the political outcome and with your every day life! Pray every day that God's Will will be done in your life and trust Him with the outcome. He is faithful in every way with your beautifully broken life!