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by Parker J. Cole

Going through the feeds on social media, you can see that many friends, and acquaintances are campaigning for their political preference. Link sharing, video sharing, message shares, meme shares, a lot of energy goes into it. Some friends are solidly focusing on making sure that their candidate is perceived in the best light possible and the other candidate is perceived in the worst light possible.  

Please understand that religion reflects the culture and politics reflect the culture. You can see this enacted in a real-world context as your study the political arena of different countries. In the U. S., a thing I’ve heard a lot is, “You can’t be a Christian and vote X way.”  

This statement, in and of itself, leads to a question I have:  when did the state of Christianity rest on the advancement of a political party? Is that how far we have fallen from what being a follower of Christ is? Are we so focused on our emotions for a political party that we have forgotten that we serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? 

My pastor has been preaching hard lately about God’s sovereignty and how we need to be grounded in God, not anything else. Is it because of a foreshadowing of things to come? There is a sense of rising turmoil, of things coming to a head that some feel this presidential election embodies. It certainly has been touted that way. That this 2020 election is THE election. The one that changes the course of U. S. History and of course, the world! 

*cue ominous music* 

Let me be clear: It’s important to vote and know what political candidates stand behind and what their ideology is, belief system and all that.  

I am rebuking our DEPENDENCE on men.  

Regardless for who you vote for, none of candidates know who you really are. They don’t know the cries of your heart when the weight of your worries crushes your shoulders. They have no comprehension of your family life or your deepest fears.  

This has become more apparent to me in the past several weeks. I won’t go into detail, but the Lord has shown me that He knows my name and knows exactly who I am. I know that, of course, on a logical level. But like all things, being reminded of that is essential. 

He’s reminded of this through a number of small blessings that have come my way. The blessings, though ‘small’, have the impact of a mountain being thrown into a lake. I told a friend, “They’re better than a truck load of money being dumped in front of my door.” 

In Luke 12, it says:  Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 

As He has showered me with these ‘small’ blessings, I came to a particular realization. It was already known in my mind but now I REALLY know – the God of the Universe, the One who spoke and brought everything into existence, knows ME. He knows EXACTLY who I am. He heard the cries of my heart, cries I hadn’t even really articulated and answered them. Cries and desires and hopes and dreams no political candidate can ever fulfill. Where I needed peace, He sent it. When I needed correction, He gave it. When I need to be embraced, He held me in His arms. 

When you consider that the God of the Universe knows who you are, it’s both humbling and frightening. Going back to Luke 12, it says, For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 

Fear Him. 

Wow.  Fear, in this regard, is respect, to be in awe. To be humbled by it.  

To make a literary example as I close: in fiction, there’s a certain character that’s always considered extremely powerful. To pick one at random, I’ll choose Mycroft Holmes, brother of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock says of Mycroft: “The conclusions of every department are passed to him, and he is the central exchange, the clearinghouse, which makes out the balance. All other men are specialists, but his specialism is omniscience. We will suppose that a minister needs information as to a point which involves the Navy, India, Canada and the bimetallic question; he could get his separate advices from various departments upon each, but only Mycroft can focus them all, and say offhand how each factor would affect the other. They began by using him as a short-cut, a convenience; now he has made himself an essential. In that great brain of his everything is pigeon-holed and can be handed out in an instant.”  

He goes on to say (to Watson): “I did not know you quite so well in those days. One has to be discreet when one talks of high matters of state. You are right in thinking that he is under the British government. You would also be right in a sense if you said that occasionally he is the British government.” 

Mycroft is this character who wields great power. He’s connected to government and has a brain superior to Sherlock in its deductive power.  

To pick another character, again from fiction, Dale the Whale from the Monk series.  Dale the Whale is an obese man who hasn’t moved from his room in twelve or fourteen years due to his obesity and yet, he wields power because of his vast monetary resources and connections with people who are in power.  

The God of the Universe, the God of the Bible, does haven’t to be connected to anyone to know who you are. He already knows how many hairs you have (or don’t have) and He knew you before you were even born.  

Don’t put all your trust in political candidates.  Trust in the One who knows your name and knows you better than you know yourself. 

About the Author:

Parker J. Cole is a writer and radio show host who spends most of her time reading, knitting, writing, cooking, and concocting new ideas for stories. Her first novel, Dark Cherub, won Best of Spring Reading 2013 from eMediaCampaigns. She lives in Michigan with her husband and beloved dog Sarah.

Visit her site at http://www.ParkerJCole.com