November 9, 2022 --- the election is over, well, except for the last few stragglers we're waiting to see cross the finish line in this marathon. But the die has been cast, and the overall results are clear. The party in power is breathing a sigh of relief that their losses were far from being what some were predicting; the other half of the country is lamenting the fact that their wins were not close to giving them the power they were convinced they would have. Instead of delivering a clear victory to either side, this election appears to have reinforced the perception that there is a deep and irreconcilable divide in American society. That's my view, as a sometime attentive, albeit amateur, observer of politics.
As for the practical consequences of the new balance of power in the short and medium term, I'm like everyone else. I go to bed at night and get up in the morning to see what the day will bring. But I know one thing: the outcome of this election had absolutely no effect on the power God has over the affairs of men, whether grouped as nations or as individuals. God is sovereign. He was sovereign yesterday, ten years ago, 500 years ago and in 3000 B.C. He will still be sovereign tomorrow, in 2024, and a hundred years from now, should the world last that long. In this respect, absolutely nothing changed, or will change, no matter how the final results turn out. So, despite having voted for the candidates I felt were more in accord with my principles, whether they won or not has little effect on my emotions. You see, in my personal election when I was 8 years old, I voted on the winning ticket, and I have sought to ratify that choice in every election since then. (**Mandatory full disclosure: According to 1 Thessalonians 1.4 and other passages, it was God's election, and He chose me. But I ratified His choice in my heart.) I chose God, as Father, received Jesus, as Savior, and was indwelt by the Holy Spirit as my Guide, a choice I strive to ratify every time I face a decision in life. Whatever the outcome of our state and national elections, whatever the political decisions made between nations, I can continue living in peace and confidence. I voted for the winning ticket and God continues to hold the reins of power.
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