Dear Grace Family,
It has been an interesting week to say the least. As I’m writing this, we still do not know who our president will be for the next four years. I know this time of uncertainty can also be a time of anxiety and fear for many as we wait to find out who will win and how the nation will respond.
While all these feelings are certainly understandable, it is important for us to be reminded of who our God is. He is mighty and powerful. He is never caught off guard. Everything always goes according to his good and perfect plan.
I wanted to draw your attention to a verse from Psalm 20 that has been a great comfort to me in recent days: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Ps. 20:7).
There are so many things and people (including presidential candidates) that we are tempted to place our trust in. When it comes to politics, we sometimes tell ourselves things like: “If only _______ wins, our nation will be ok.” It is certainly true that elections have consequences and that whoever occupies the White House will to some degree shape our nation, either for good or for evil.
And yet, I find myself constantly in need of the reminder that while policies can be helpful, they cannot change our sinful hearts. This means that as important as presidents are, they make poor saviors. As the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us, our only hope in life and in death is that we are not our own, but belong – body and soul – to our faithful savior Jesus Christ. No matter who wins the presidency, and regardless of which party has control over the House and Senate, our Lord’s promise still stands: He will build his church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it!
Let us rest in the promises of our unchanging God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And let us never forget, that regardless of the outcome of this election, the sun came up today for one key reason: Jesus is still saving his people, drawing them to himself. And he wants to use us in that work. Presidents and nations come and go. Let’s keep our eyes focused on the King of kings and remain faithful in the work of proclaiming his kingdom – a kingdom of peace that will never end. As we do this, let’s pray that the Spirit will bless our efforts, so that we will see many transferred into Christ’s kingdom and transformed into his likeness.
In Christ,
Pastor Eric