My dear American neighbors,
There is fear in the air, there is despair in many hearts, there is unrest and anxiety and tension, but I implore you – do not be afraid. No matter what happens, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and come tomorrow, He will still be ruling over all. His promises are sure. If you are feeling swept up into the frenzy of uncertainty and apprehension may I invite you to meditate on the soul-calming, life-giving words of Psalm 146? Although these words were written before your country even existed, the ink might still be wet for all their relevance to tomorrow’s events.
Psalm 146
1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.
Truly, there is nothing new under the sun! Everyone is calling this an “historic election,” but the hearts of men are not all that different than the previous election, or the one before that, or the one before that. Our hope does not rest on the knowledge that America will remain strong, that everything will be ok. Quite the opposite – our hope rests on the knowledge that if and when America crumbles and everything is not ok, we have a kind and gracious Saviour who delights to save. His rule is the one that matters, and it is loving, absolute, and eternal. Place your trust in Him, bring your concerns before His throne, and commit yourself to an ever faithful God.
With love and prayers from your neighbour to the North,
Kate
P.S. This letter was partially inspired by this wonderful post and song by Steven Curtis Chapman, which you can find on his FB page. God is on the throne!