Election By God
Election Day is two days away…. and we know it! When we vote then, or as you have already voted, you will make a decision about who you think should be in and who should be out. You have the ability and power to do this. We have a democracy in America. Amazing. We decide who’s in and who’s out in running the country.
But what about you and me and God and who is in or out with God? There it is not a democracy. God decides. You and I have nothing to say about it.
That is not a good feeling…..because you and I don’t like being taken out of the decision. This is not a good thing…..until you listen well, and realize who God is and how God is making God’s decision.
So, back to our decision on Tuesday.
It is right that we will decide who should be President based not only on policy positions but also personal character. Things like personal integrity, honesty, decency. It’s not only who has a good domestic or foreign policy, it’s about who has the personal character. Thumbs up. Thumbs down. Who’s in? Who’s out? I hope you vote and vote well in this election. It is critical!
And now back to God’s decision about us.
It’s a good thing, life-saving actually, that God does not decide about us based on our policy or character.
No?
What?
We hear from Scripture in Deuteronony 6 and Mark 12 that we are to “love God and your neighbor as yourself.” And immediately we think, “well, that’s not hard….because God loves what I love and who I love.” And so we think two things: 1) I know who and what to love! 2) I can do this!
But, what if God loves both Republicans and Democrats (not to mentions the Non-Party Affiliated and others!)?
What if God loves differently than we love?
What if God loves the Good, the Bad and the Ugly? What if God loves the Least, the Last, the Lost, the Little and the Dead?
What if God decides who is in and who is out based on God’s policy and character!? Not our policy and character, but God’s!
We will not love others like that. Others are to….Other! Foreigners! Other!
We will not love God who loves based on God’s love, who decides who is in or out based on God’s love, even decides about us that way…..because then we have no say in the matter!!
God chooses, God loves, based on God. Not us.
We hear in Hebrews 9 the author at pains to describe what God is up to in Jesus Christ. The author uses all kinds of language about our worship sacrificial rituals to say Jesus supercedes all of that and makes our sacrifices, our decisions about who is in and out, obsolete.
In Jesus Christ it is clear that God elects, chooses, based on God’s character and policy! Jesus is living proof and living truth! Jesus lived for and died for the least, the last, the lost, the little and the dead. That is you, both Republicans and Democrats. Everybody gets elected, because of God.
November 5th is not like that. Somebody is in and somebody is out based on policy and character. Please vote wisely!
God’s election? You and I have no vote.
Everybody’s In!
Now, live like it! One: Find the peace from God that is there for you! Two: be kind and generous and caring to all people, even those you hate! Oh, my, there’s that love God and your neighbor as yourself thing again!
