This year’s presidential election is seen by many as a watershed event for America. In the last eight years we have seen the Left grow in power and influence at all levels of government. We have experienced unprecedented ridicule of Christian core beliefs from the press, politicians, and celebrities. Many people see the presidential election as pivotal in structuring the Supreme Court for the next generation. The outcome of this election could determine the regulatory burden and taxation that we will endure from here forward. Our economy has been stagnant at best in recent years. Are we headed for an extended decline from the level of wealth we enjoy today? Can we count on the next generation being better off financially than the previous one? If we are honest, we are probably most worried about our loss of prosperity and comfortable lifestyle. Somehow we expect one candidate or the other to be able to heal the wounds of our society. Political promises have a long history of being unfulfilled! Most of America’s problems stem from deeper rooted spiritual problems. Unaccountability, unfaithfulness, greed, jealousy, immorality, and more, rot the fabric that should be holding our society together. To expect political solutions to be more than band-aids is like seeing a mirage. As Christians, though we may have civic responsibilities, we must be part of the spiritual solution! Changed hearts and lives bless a nation in two ways. First, the disfunction that is so damaging to our society is lessened. Secondly, God will bless the nation that honors him.

Let’s look at Israel in the Old Testament. God brought the Israelites into a fruitful land. They were instructed to posses it and root out all traces of the false religions that permeated the land. They were also warned that, if they were unfaithful, He would bring them to repentance with drought, adversity, and subjection to other nations. They had a roller-coaster spiritual existence for the next nearly 800 years. Sometimes a judge or a good king would rally them to rekindle their relationship to God. Many times God chastened them through suffering. The nation divided after Solomon’s reign. The northern kingdom, Israel, declined faster spiritually than the southern kingdom, probably because they cut off all ties to Jerusalem and the temple. Israel went into captivity over 120 years before Judah and never recovered as a nation. At that time, prophets were already prophesying the downfall of Judah. Hezekiah and Josiah were two exemplary kings during Judah’s last 120 years. But sandwiched in between was Manasseh, “who caused Israel to sin”. He was the worst king spiritually in Israelite history. I have often wondered why God allowed him to reign 55 years (the longest of any king). I have concluded that God gave the people what they wanted as He did when Saul was crowned. Interestingly, Manasseh repented near the end of his life,but the evil that had occurred in the land was not undone. A revival under Josiah delayed God’s judgment for another 55 years. During this whole period of history there must have been a steady spiritual decline. Judah was conquered by the Babylonians in 689 BC. A remnant of Jews returned to their land 70 years later, as prophesied, and re-established the nation of Israel which lasted into the first century AD, when it was decimated again. The Jewish nation has again been restored to its homeland in preparation for the next event in God’s master plan. God has preserved a remnant of Abraham all throughout history to bring the Messiah and now to prepare for His second coming. God used ungodly nations to chasten the Israelites, but he brought them to judgement also.

How does all of this relate to us? First, we need to realize that the rise and fall of nations is all a part of God’s larger plan. We are familiar with several nations in recent history that aspired to become empires, but they were defeated. God used the U.S. and its allies to topple those evil regimes who were blatantly anti-christian and persecuted believers. In the nineteenth century there were global mission organizations founded in Europe. During the twentieth century, the United States became the predominate resource nation for missions. Historically America has promoted individual liberty, guaranteed freedom of worship and openly encouraged Christianity. America has been instrumental in protecting the nation of Israel. Is all of this enough to earn “most favored nation status” with God? Shall we congratulate ourselves for what America has done for God? We should rather feel privileged to have been used by God to accomplish His purposes.

Let’s look at the darker side of America. We are seeing moral decline. We have nearly a million abortions per year. Family life is on a downward spiral. Single parent homes result from the very high divorce rate and from children born out of wedlock. All kinds of immorality abound without shame. Christian values are openly ridiculed.

I don’t know what God has planned for America. Will we see another surge in our lifestyle and economy? As Christians we should be most active in God’s kingdom work. We should be establishing relationships one at a time to grow His church. The most beneficial “change” we could have in America would be a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit resulting in a great turning toward God. We are nearer the end of this age than we have ever been before. The wealth and comfort we have experienced as a nation are unique in history. These things may be fleeting, so we must hold them somewhat loosely. We must hold fast to our faith in Christ which is good for eternity. Are we more worried about the economy than we are for lost souls around us? Can we build relationships, and so build spiritual prosperity with eternal value?

Who will win the election? It is under God’s control. He could allow Trump to suffer a gaffe that he is unable to recover from. He could bring an unsurmountable scandal to light that would ruin Hillary’s chances of winning. I am reminded of the 2012 election. Romney looked like the winner two weeks before the election. Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast. Romney respectfully toned down his rhetoric for a week. President Obama viewed the hurricane damage, got a lot of favorable press, appeared compassionate and presidential, and he won the election. I have often wondered if Obama could have won without Sandy. God will determine the outcome of this election according to His grand master plan. That doesn’t mean that He will endorse or give His blessing to the winner. He may give us what we ask for even if it is not the best for us. Ultimately, it is how America responds to God that determines how long we experience His favor. Political solutions, military strength, economic adjustments, border vigilance, are all in vain if God is left out of the process. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”