Tomorrow our nation will elect a new President.

We have a mixed church that will be voting for different candidates. Therefore, some of you will be disappointed with who wins the election. Perhaps slightly frustrated. Perhaps extremely discouraged.

There are high-stakes in this election, arguably much higher than the last election. Depending on where you get your news and how you prioritize certain values and what you think is the best strategy for executing those values, you probably have strong opinions about this election -- even if your strong opinions are about how you hate this election season.

Personally, I have strong opinions about who should be president in this election and who I hope wins. I have reasons that I believe are thought through and not based on superficial nonsense. You can ask me who I'm voting for and why and I'll be glad to tell you. I've talked to many of you already. Ben Tapper and I had a discussion at service yesterday about it right before I got up to speak.

But…..

I will not use my platform as a pastor or preacher to do that. My role as a pastor or preacher is never going to be to exalt a particular candidate. It is always to exalt Jesus. And to speak to justice issues directly -- not through parties or candidates. So any teaching or writing I do is to shepherd us as a church into deeper unity to Christ together.

That said I want to encourage us all to do at least one of two things come tomorrow night:

1. Bow your knee to King Jesus if your candidate loses.

Or

2. Bow your knee to King Jesus if your candidate wins.

Yes, I know, you probably believe that Jesus is going to still be on the throne no matter what. You probably say cliché things like “God is still in control no matter who wins." But how you react tomorrow night will show whether or not you truly do believe that.

If your candidate loses, can you still bow your knee and say "I know you are God, and your purposes cannot be thwarted. I will not allow the electing of this candidate to cause me to act like or worry like I'm not a Christian."

If your candidate wins, after you breathe your sigh of relief and text your friends - can you still bow your knee and say, "But Lord, you are my Savior. My loyalty to you is far greater than this candidate. I will not defend this candidate at all costs, nor will I stop praying that you would return ASAP to usher in your perfect kingdom of righteousness and peace.”

This election is important. It will affect our country, perhaps for decades. It will impact our world. It may even eventually affect our right to meet together in a public school to worship God.

But we must remember....

I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things. - Isaiah 45:7

[God] works all things according to the counsel of his will - Ephesians 1:11.

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. - Psalm 115:3

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. - Job 42:2

The Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men—and gives them to anyone he wishes!" Daniel 4:25

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” - Daniel 4:35

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. - Proverbs 16:33

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. - Proverbs 21:1

For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. - Psalm 135:5-6

The election changes nothing about the above.

So True Life Church, I urge you -- whatever happens, respond like you really believe the above is true.