Don’t lose focus, Christian

Every time a presidential election rolls around, I witness fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ lose their focus. I’ve done it myself.

We have a tendency to say and believe things like…

• “This election is critical.”
• “This is the most important election in our lifetime” (Just like the last election — and the one before that).
• “We have to pray that God will bring about the right outcome.”
• “If we don’t win this election I’m afraid our country is doomed.”

Well, I’ve got news for you — our country is doomed. It is a temporal, man-made institution and it will end up on the ash heap of history just like every other temporal, man-made institution.

Furthermore, if we honestly pray to God for the “right” outcome of this (or any) election we should be aware that what we regard as the “right” outcome and what God regards as the “right” outcome may not be the same thing. Every country in history has been nothing more than a tool in God’s hand. They are raised up to accomplish His purposes and they are brought down to accomplish His purposes. If the destruction of our own country is what accomplishes God’s purposes and brings Him glory are we okay with that? If not then it means we love something more than God, what the Bible calls idolatry.

Consider the words of our Lord…

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” — John 18:36-37

Remember, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Our spiritual enemies would love nothing more than to use “the most important election in our lifetime” to distract us from our calling in Christ Jesus.

Dear Christian please pay close attention to this: We must not lose focus.

We were saved for a purpose — to bring glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ. To be about HIS work. To participate in the building of HIS kingdom.  Our attention should be so radically focused on these things that “the most important election in our lifetime” fades into obscurity.

Here are some things to think about that hopefully will help us maintain a proper focus during this potentially distracting time:

• Are we truly kingdom minded? Or are we more concerned with our own earthly empires?
• Are we allowing ourselves (as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ) to be manipulated by men who have nothing but worldly aspirations?
• Have we allowed our concept of “patriotism” to morph into gross “nationalism”?
• What are we really doing?
• If we are really focused on God’s Kingdom then what regard should we even have for the arbitrary borders of men?

Something to think about.

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