God and the coming elections

It seems an odd topic to talk about --God and the elections. We seldom relate such human activities as elections of our government leaders to the workings of God, especially in this day and age. We think it’s a purely human concern on which leaders we chose to govern over us. We pray for guidance, of course, at least, many of us do. But how involved is God really in our elections?

Let’s first ask ourselves, “does God already know who will win as president of the Philippines this coming May?” Of course! God knows all, including everything in the future. He declares in Isaiah 46:10, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” Wait, it’s not even that he already knows, but that he planned it. Nothing in this world happens without God’s sovereign and permissive will. Including elections.

With all the mismanagement in the world, and the evils wrought by leaders throughout history, does it mean God has a hand in them? We do need to go back to the very nature of God, especially his holiness and sovereignty. In Habakkuk 1:13, it reads, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and you cannot look on wickedness with favor.” It was man who sinned against God and caused evil to permeate this world. But God loves man so much he laid out his plan of redemption through the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We might not believe it or not, but God is active in our world affairs, including how our leaders are chosen. “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; he removes kings and establishes kings;” (Daniel 2:21). Nothing happens without his knowledge, including that of the future. Does he know who our next president will be this coming May? Of course, he does, for he is the one who allows it according to his eternal plan and will. Will he be the cause if these leaders commit evil? Of course not, because no evil comes from him --man does evil out of his own volition because of sin.

How then should we choose and vote for our leaders? I believe we first have to admit that God is holy and sovereign, and his will is perfect. We need to understand that while God has his reasons for choosing leaders, good or bad according to his plan through time, he does want each of us to choose leaders with qualifications he approves of --with good character and competence, who will stand for justice; who are willing to be held accountable. We live in uncertain times where the world’s value system has been systematically eroded by strange ungodly concepts. Throughout history, nations fall when their basic family structures are broken. We need leaders who uphold biblical family values, who give hope to our children and the generations to come. God chooses our leaders, but we need to do our part when we vote. Let’s vote wisely and prayerfully, humbly asking guidance from God.