Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
A lot of different scripture verses could come to mind today, but this is the one that rose to the top. It’s easy to forget that we too rise to the top, but not because of our own doing. We rise to victory because of Him.
I’ve spoken with, heard from, and seen a lot of nervous energy today, the day after our major presidential election, a day of uncertainty for what the future holds. But here’s the thing. While the future, political environment is unknown, the future for those who have been reborn in Christ is written already. We will reap a harvest, if we don’t give up.
I know friends who have cried, plead with the Lord, frantically paced, and worried for the future of our Nation based on the outcome of a Presidential election. I understand your feelings, your anxieties, and your concerns, but I want to remind you of what is real, and what is fleeting. You know this. We all simply forget.
Too often we put our trust in worldly systems, and we look to horses and chariots to win our battles. I’m reminding you, the battle belongs to the Lord. I don’t know who you’re serving, but my God is bigger than elections, supreme courts justices, or the laws of mankind.
I’ve been reading the Old Testament a lot the last few weeks, and in the books of Kings you see the fate of the monarchy in Israel after the reign of King David. The Lord set kings up, and He took kings down. Initially God placed judges to help rule His people, but the men of the time wanted rulers like the other nations had. God was their king, but they wanted a human king. I can only imagine God was like, “okaaayyy, if that’s what you want… (insert grimace).”
Regardless, He gave the people kings. He set up good men, and He took bad men down. He even set up bad men to rule for a time. You can read the books of Kings and see the seasons where good, wise men ruled, but also evil men who worshipped other gods. The nature and characteristics of the kings changed, but there was always a constant for Israel. Their Father in Heaven. Even when He allowed a bad king to rule for a season, He never took His eyes off His beloved children. No matter who ruled their nation, He wanted to rule their hearts, and He worked behind the scenes to bring forth a bloodline where His Son and plan to save humanity could be inserted. I mean, no earthly ruler raising Asherah poles was disrupting His plan of Salvation for all the nations.
His plans still stand today, and His plans are for the prosperity of our future. When we place all our hope in the outcome of who becomes king, we forget the King of all Kings. When we think our battle is won because of the number of troops, votes, or the commander of our forces, we forget the angel armies that stand on our side. We forget the end has already been written, and we’re fretting amidst the ruffling pages.
I could go on and on repeating the same simple principle, but suffice to say, don’t grow weary, dear friends. A time of harvest awaits. Our Father has promised. If we don’t become discouraged by the broken systems of this world, and place our faith in the Author and Perfecter of our lives, we can ride victoriously and rise to the top through any reign or season.
Greatest news ever told!
Great reminder!
You’re SO right Brie!
The cycle of all of the OT is
The people sin;
God allows their enemies to occupy the land;
The people cry out to God;
God raises up a judge to rescue them;
They enjoy God’s blessing under the judge;
The judge dies and the cycle starts again.
Each time the cycle goes round, things get a little worse and never quite return to being as good as they were.
Of course the basic problem, then as now in our own lives, is sin… and no human ruler can free us from the bonds of sin and give us eternal life.
I was just doing a Bible study yesterday on Promises Kept (The Good Book Guide) with ladies from our church, on Zoom of course! God gave his rebellious people a king. The first, Saul, was the king they deserved: he rejected God’s commands. The second, David, was a king they didn’t deserve. He was God’s anointed one. David loved God, tried to obey him and sought forgiveness when he disobeyed. In many ways this was the high point of Israel’s history… but of course, David was just a man….
We were looking at 2 Samuel 7 and I came across a wonderful prophecy I had never seen before..
Speaking to David, a good king, (through the prophet Nathan), God makes wonderful promises:
‘ When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body and I will establish his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son . When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him as I took it away from Saul whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me, your throne shall be established for ever.’
Such amazing promises… all fulfilled through Jesus.
Today we have bad leaders (who may well lead us to live less like Jesus) and good ones (who may draw us closer to living like Jesus) but they are both sinful and temporary….
‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace’
Thanks again for all your Jesus centred, wonderfully loving and eloquent posts:)
Love and prayers
Jodi
Thank you so much for sharing!
So many wise words from you all. Thanks for sharing
Thank you ☺️
Amen, Brie! I have been praying for honest and fair elections since October. Having cast my ballot in a state that was the ‘hanging chad’ state of 2000, I had some concern. Thankfully Florida officials learned from that election, and in spite of COVID 19, managed to get an undisputed result quickly. Not so some other states: MIchigan had a computer glitch that gave one party thousands of votes that belonged to the other in the Presidential race, in just one county! All the battleground states used this software, and I find that rather fishy.
So I continue to pray for justice and honest counting. (and will continue until the votes are certified)