If you spend any time listening to news outlets or on social media, you may find yourself convinced that today is the most important day in American politics— or maybe even in American history. You might find your heart anxious about the future. You might find yourself angry about the past. You might be confused and overwhelmed.
Wherever you find yourself as you approach this election, I want to remind you of what is true from God’s Word.
No matter who wins this election, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). This means that Jesus will still be on his throne. An American election in the 21st century will not shake Jesus’ authority over all things that he won because of the Cross and his resurrection. Jesus sits on the throne over all the universe and nothing can disrupt his rule. Nothing will catch him by surprise. Nothing will escape his watchful eye.
No matter who wins this election, our Heavenly Father knows what we need and will graciously supply us everything (Matthew 6:25–34). It’s easy to freak out and think that if that candidate gets into office, that life will be worse for us and that we won’t have what we need for ourselves and for our families. But Jesus calls us to have faith in the nature of our Heavenly Father; that he is kind, compassionate, considerate, and full of love for us. Think about this: if God clothes flowers and provides food for the cardinals that you see outside your window, what makes us think that he will let a new president keep him from taking care of his children?
No matter who wins this election, Jesus is still at the Right Hand of the Father, praying for us (Romans 8:34). Do you think Jesus’ Father will refuse to hear his own Son’s prayers for you? He knows you. He cares. He sees your situation. He knows why you’re anxious, angry, confused and overwhelmed. It makes sense to him. And he— the Son of God, Lord of the universe, Defeater of devils and death, Savior of sinners and saints— is praying for you.
No matter who wins this election, God will execute justice on the day of judgment (Revelation 20:11:–15). Every act of injustice that either candidate has committed or will commit will be exposed and brought to justice on the Day of the Lord. The Lord of all will not let anything escape his watchful eye. Vengeance belongs to God and he will repay (see Romans 12:19), therefore we do not need to fear or take justice into our hands or on our tongues.
No matter who wins this election, God will not take sides (Joshua 5:13–14, Ephesians 6:9). In the book of Joshua, before Joshua and Israel are going to go into the Promised Land, the commander of the Army of the LORD appears to Joshua. Joshua approaches him and asks, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” Keep in mind that Israel is God’s chosen people and that the people living in the land of Canaan are idolaters, child-sacrificers, sexual revolutionaries, and all around not what you would call “moral people.” But the commander’s response to Joshua is this: “Neither, but as the commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” God is not on my side. He’s not on your side. He’s not on either candidate’s side. God does not need one candidate or the other to establish peace on earth or good will towards men. God will do what he will do. The Kingdom of God has been breaking into our world powerfully since Jesus and our responsibility is to repent where we must and join Jesus in his Kingdom-work wherever we can.
No matter who wins this election, God will love your political opponents (Matthew 5:45, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Matthew 5:43–44). The people who vote differently from you are made in the image of God and are infinitely loved by him. How tragic would it be for us to use our words to disparage, deride, or curse the people who are made in the image of the God we praise (see James 3:9–12). God loves them. And, though they vote differently from us, God wants them to know him if they don’t (1 Timothy 2:4–6) and to draw nearer to him if they do (James 4:8).
No matter who wins this election, God will love you (Romans 8:31–39). There is nothing that can separate you from his love. Not a Harris, not a Walz, not a Trump, not a Vance— no one and no thing can shake God’s unbreakable grip of love on you. He delights in you. He notices you when you enter the room. His face lights up. No presidential election can keep that from you. If the Right wins, if the Left wins, if a third-party wins, if you vote red, if you vote blue, if you write-in, if you opt-out, God will love you. I pray that we all would rest in that love and that God may give us peace.
As we approach this Tuesday and the days ahead, I recommend that you read through the verses that I’ve cited. Too often, we listen to snakes in trees that want to make us ashamed, angry, anxious, confused, overwhelmed, and disconnected from God and others. It would be good for us to listen to what God says more.
