Thoughts on a New President

God’s sovereignty has always been a mainstay of my walk with him, and I’ve written about it many times before.  Knowing that someone infinitely wiser than me (or any of the other people in the world) is in control of everything has brought me rest and peace for most of my life.  But, in light of last Friday’s inauguration of a new president, I have been reminded once again of the importance of God’s sovereignty. 

Please don’t misunderstand: this has nothing to do with politics!  Regardless of who won our recent presidential election, what I’m writing today would still be on my heart.  You see, if we truly trust God and rest in who He is (and not who our leader is), we should be able to experience the removal of anxiety in every situation.  I have seen this happen in my personal life through various trials and difficult things, and it is equally true when we talk about our nation and its future.

I believe it was God who gave me two beautiful reminders of this last week.  The night before the inauguration, I suddenly remembered while watching the evening news that the presidential oath ends with the words “so help me, God”.  It isn’t my responsibility to worry about what any particular American president chooses to do or say while in office; he or she will be held responsible by God in the end . . . and God’s justice can be counted on to also be righteous.

On Friday morning, I woke up with a song in my mind – one I hadn’t sung in many years.  I’ve shared it before, but here’s how this children’s song goes:

God’s on his throne – no need to worry

God’s on his throne – so I can rest

God’s on his throne – and I can trust Him

Almighty King – God’s on his throne!

With these two thoughts from God in my mind, I looked up a couple of well-known Scriptures to help me continue to focus on God’s sovereignty in regards to world leaders:

Romans 13:1b – “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Psalm 75:7 – “it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”

Daniel 2:20-22 – “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons, he removes kings and sets up kings, he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”

The passage in Romans goes on to say that “the authorities are ministers of God”.  Regardless of whether a leader acknowledges God or not, God is still in control.  None of us can do or say anything that is not allowed by God.  As we saw in the Old Testament, sometimes what God allows is designed to bring blessing; and sometimes it is designed to bring judgment.  It remains to be seen what God’s purposes are at this point in time for our nation.  But either way our responsibility as Christians is still the same – to trust who God is and rest in his unchanging sovereignty.

Politics has a way of making us forget this.  But no human leader will bring complete healing or restoration to a post-Christian nation; salvation belongs to God alone (Revelation 19:1).  Praying for God’s will and purposes for our country, and resting in his sovereignty and the promise of his presence regardless of what lies ahead . . .