Psalm 146:5-7a

“Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;” vss. 5-6

In the course of a political campaign it’s natural that millions of people would get caught up in the rhetoric and become enamored of one candidate or another. And then when the election comes and winners are announced there is always exultation and despair. One group is convinced that the messiah has been chosen, the one who will lead the country to prosperity and establish justice. The other side is equally confident that a great injustice has been done and that stupidity reigns. Such is the nature of contemporary politics as we move through our election cycles. Today’s psalm gives perspective to the respective election reactions. Verse 3 reads “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.” There’s great wisdom here…a reminder that ultimately those men and women in whom we have put our hope will not be able to satisfy our deepest desires. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t make any difference who is elected…decisions made by politicians do touch lives for better or for worse. But deep peace and serenity come from the Creator God who has brought all things into existence,and who sustains us from day to day. When God is our help, election results are put into perspective. Even when our candidate loses…we’re going to be okay!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel when my candidate wins or loses?