God and politics and making our country great

 The authorities are God's servants (Romans 13:6).

Is God a Republican or a Democrat?

Politically, our nation is more strongly divided than ever.  Even independents are starting to drift towards one party or the other.  And while both sides claim they want to work together in a bipartisan way, neither is willing to budge when it comes time for negotiation. 

Have you ever stopped to wonder how God looks at our political divide?  1 Corinthians 14 says that He is a God of peace, not disorder; I can’t imagine that He’s pleased by our two parties squabbling instead of getting things done.  The Bible says that we are to show respect to each other, especially to those who have positions of leadership.  How angry must the Almighty get when politicians twist the truth to make their opponents look bad. Jesus says we are to love one another; He is surely disappointed when our leaders are more concerned with budgets and special interests than with the people who are taxed or need assistance.  Jesus also said that we should let nothing go to waste; I cannot imagine how disgusted He is at the mismanagement and corruption that riddle the halls of government.

God is not a Republican or a Democrat; God is not a liberal or conservative.  God is the Creator of all things; all authority belongs to Him, and He is the Supreme Judge who passes sentence on us all.  All governmental leaders, each political party, every single bureaucrat and judge must answer to Him.  He has allowed them the privilege to serve and protect us; yet they arouse His anger when they forget who’s in charge and try to push their own agendas.

One benefit of being American is that our political machinery can be swapped out through public elections; we don’t have to use violence to force a change in leadership as happens in other countries.  But having the privilege to vote also carries a responsibility—we must sort through all the lies and misinformation to find out which candidates seem to understand God’s priorities best, then cast our votes for these individuals regardless of party affiliation.  That we can show respect for God’s authority by shaping public policy at the voting booth—that’s what makes our nation great.