Morning by Morning, November 8 - Voting "The Straight Ticket" of the Lord
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You're the Lord and Savior of my life. And I welcome You here in the center of my heart and the beginning of my day. ...
"Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness; ... make Your way straight before me" (Psalm 5:8).
It's Election Day in America. My wife and I got up early to go vote early before the lines got too long. Now, we've done our civic duty and participated in the process of governing our nation and determining the course of our land. As President Abraham Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address, we have the freedom to be a "nation, under God" which is a "government of the people, by the people, for the people, (that) shall not perish from the earth." May our votes count as an expression of our heart that we desire the direction of our nation to honor You. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12 NKJV).
Like so many, I wrestled with my choices. And in the end, I decided to vote "the straight ticket" -- not voting a "straight ticket" for democrats, republicans, libertarians, green, blue or anything else, but seeking the leading of Your Holy Spirit, as best as I could and all by Your grace. I prayed Psalm 5:8 that You would lead me in Your righteousness and make Your way "straight" before me.
Your Word says we don't even know how to pray as we ought, so we need to ask Your guidance even in our prayers. "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26). So just like my prayers, I want my votes to be led by Your Spirit so that I can say from my heart, "not my will buy Yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
In the midst of all the issues of character, personalities, policies and platforms, I ultimately want to exercise my freedom of choice by freely choosing to follow You -- as best as I can and all by Your grace. I know none of us hear Your voice perfectly and that on this side of heaven we only "know in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9). "For now we see in a mirror, dimly" (1 Corinthians 13:12). But as the children of God, we are called to seek the leading of God in all things, even in our votes as a free people of a free nation. ""For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Romans 8:14).
So when I wake up in the morning and find out who won, I can have the peace of knowing I made my choices as best as I could seeking the leading of Your Spirit. And I can also rest in the truth of Your promise that whether good or bad, You are the God who is sovereign of all, at work in all things for our good and Your glory, according to Your purpose that is far beyond anything I could choose or plan or control. "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). And at same time, You invite us to take our place and play our part in Your process "like good stewards of the manifold grace of God" with all the freedom and gifts You've entrusted to us as the people of God in the midst of our world (1 Peter 4:10).
Seeking to vote "the straight ticket" of the Lord, I'm trusting You to cause it all to work together for good, far beyond my understanding of Your will and Your ways. But I know this, by the truth and promise of Your Word: "Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 40:4-5 NKJV, confirmed in Luke 3:5-6). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
I pray you will be led by the Spirit of God as a child of God in all your choices each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. And I join with you in prayer for America to be a nation under God, honor the Lord our God with gift and calling He has given us as a nation in our world. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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