This week was challenging to write because I could not get a sense of direction that the Lord wanted for me. Besides the increased workload and the distractions of the political climate, I now know why – as I am writing this, the Presidential Election results have not been finalized. A few battleground states need to be counted to determine whether power shifts in Washington or remains the same.

If you are the many readers who open up your email at 6 am when the blog is posted, the results may still be undecided. The undetermined results can be frustrating for some and stressful for others as millions seek a sense of certainty for what the next four years of leadership will be. Who will be the following Command in Chief? Who will lead the United States of America? 

This question will be answered in time (and the sooner, the better!), but it isn’t the most important question. Instead, I’d ask it in a slightly different way… 

Who is in charge? 

The answer is not a political one, but instead, a question to remind us what truly matters – God is on the throne. Regardless of how invested you might have been in rooting, hoping, and praying for your candidate, this fact does not change. God is in charge. We can get so caught up in electoral results that we forget the One who allowed the election to exist in the first place. God is on the throne. 

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” – Psalm 103:19 

“For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” – Psalm 47:7-8

Here’s are a few reasons why it’s good to remember that the Lord is in charge: 

· There’s a plan – Whether your candidate wins or loses, God has a plan through it all. If you are disappointed in the results, can you trust that Christ can work through this candidate you did not want? If you are ecstatic that your candidate won, in what ways can you pray for him throughout his administration so that he can fulfill God’s purposes for this country? 

· Have peace – When you are reminded of God’s sovereignty, you do not have to worry. He’s in charge, you can trust that He will do what is best according to His will. It’s so freeing to let go of the control and wait upon the Lord. In other words, “let go and let God”. Trusting Him means letting go of the reigns and the expectations of what should and shouldn’t happen. You can have a lasting peace to rule your mind in the midst of an undetermined future. 

· Pray, pray, pray! – In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul succinctly tells us “to pray without ceasing”. On the outset, this sounds like an impossible mission… how is that even possible? Well, think of the statement as an invitation instead. If we view God as in charge, we can go to Him for all things… am I right? Therefore, we can and should continually pray for our leaders regardless of their past, performance, platform, or personality flaws – we are to be persistent in prayer for them! Look at what Paul says in a letter to Timothy: 

1 Timothy 2:1-4 – “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

You are to make petitions and prayers on behalf of everyone, but there is a call to intercede for those in authority over us – this includes the President and other elected officials. Therefore you can… 

• Pray that the President has insightful discernment in how to guide the nation for the next four years 

• Pray that the President has the courage to stand in his convictions and to lead with diligence 

• Pray that the President will have the ‘wisdom of many counselors’ to set policies (Proverbs 15:22) 

• Pray that the President will not allow the stress of the job to affect his health, mental fortitude, and energy level 

• Pray that the President will be protected from any attacks from the enemy in the Name of Jesus

These prayer points are a sample of the many ways you can take your part in shaping this nation’s future through prayer. God is in charge, and He’s inviting you to participate in what He wants to do… you can help make that difference! Imagine what that will be like in Heaven when you get to see the various ways in how your prayers helped change things? It’s going to be incredible! 

Even if America doesn’t have it’s chosen leader yet, we can be confident that God is on the throne, He’s in charge, and He knows what He’s doing. Regardless of who you voted for, Christ is the One who rules, and He desires that we are to trust the process. Through this blog, I hope you can feel secure through the shaking and confident through the uncertainty because you can trust in God’s plan, provision, and purposes. 

Have a blessed week!