Election Day - Remember This!

It's finally election day. I don't know about you, but I'm glad it will be over! If I see one more political ad I think I'll scream...... it's just been fascinating to watch this election unfold, and see the depths that politicians will go to in order to win our votes. I'm not sure that our country has ever been more divided than we are today, yet every politician promises to bring us all together.

People are crying out for change....... it reminds me of an Old Testament story in I Samuel. I don't spend as much time reading in the Old Testament as I should, but this story came to my mind as I thought about how most of us have approached this election. We all think our choice is the right one, we all think our candidate will be the miracle worker who will fix the world's problems, and we all think _______ (fill in the blank) is who we need.

Take a quick read of the cry of the Israelites from Samuel's day and see what God had to say about choosing a king. America will choose a "king" to rule over us today, but sadly I'm not sure that very many people really understand the weight and consequences of our decision, regardless of who is elected. I wonder what would happen if we prayed about this election as much as we have talked about it or thought about it?

The great news is that no matter who we elect as the next "king"today, he will not be the KING, only a king. As I mentioned several weeks ago in my blog the winner of today's election will not be a surprise to God in heaven. I can assure everyone that God and His angels won't be gathered around watching and biting their nails as the results come in on the major networks tonight. God will still be in control - Proverbs 21:1 "The LORD controls rulers, just as he determines the course of rivers". - CEV


I Samuel 8:1-21
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [a] us, such as all the other nations have."
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle [b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."

Pray Then Vote!
Chip Moody