JOY

Every Christian's improbable response to tomorrow's election results

In the last week or so, I’ve tried to curb my consumption of election news. It has been tempting to engage the podcasts and the constant headlines, but after I dropped off my mail-in ballot last week to the Hamilton County Board of Elections (where I met Mike, the 80-something poll worker who told me his first election was in 1960 when he voted for JFK), I decided I wasn’t being helped by the steady stream of fear-mongering and hand-wringing. (Yes, I did start listening to the debate between Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris, hosted by Bari Weiss, which my son sent to me last night.)

I’ve written my fair share about politics over the years. In 2012, I admitted in an essay for Christianity Today that after a year in Canada, I was choosing not to vote in the American presidential election: “One small step out of the American political landscape has been one giant leap of perspective.” Our years in Canada tested assumptions about my assumptions about individualism. In Surprised by Paradox, I considered the nature of God’s kingdom, especially in light of the evangelical shift of loyalty towards Trump: “The kingdom of God is not painted in red or blue. . . If the kingdom of God could be established by political alliances, we would see an entirely different story playing out in the Gospels.” I felt—then, as now—that we were reading that story wrongly. In this election year, I’ve published my political rule of life, my admission of failed patriotism, and my dismay about political rhetoric regarding immigrants.

I’ve not tried to keep my political commitments a secret, especially when I can publicly articulate them as a Christian. But you’ll not find a campaign sign in my yard, if only for the reason that I don’t intend to signal that my political commitments are my primary ones. No, tomorrow’s election will happen (and dear Lord, yes, we pray for a decisive result). Then, we’ll have to learn to live together again: neighbor with neighbor; friend with friend; family member with family member; congregant with congregant.

What will allow us to do that well?

Our church service yesterday reminded me that a return, over and over again, to the true story of Jesus as risen, reigning, and returning King is the only antidote to political despair. The note I anticipated yesterday’s service might strike, before it began, was one of prayerful sobriety. Wasn’t everyone telling us that this was the most consequential election of our lifetime? Instead, every prayer, every song sounded the high melodies of JOY. It was so striking that I scrapped the post I had scheduled for today and sat with my bulletin this morning, copying lyrics into my journal:

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This is my Father’s world:

O let me ne’er forget

That though the world seems oft so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world:

Why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is king! Let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let earth be glad!

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Rejoice!

Come and lift your hands and raise your voice;

He is worthy of all praise,

Rejoice!

Sing the mercies of your king

And with trembling, rejoice!

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In the harvest feast or the fallow ground

My certain hope in Jesus is found.

My lot, my cup, my portion sure,

Whatever comes we shall endure!

Whatever comes we shall endure!

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I sang that last song with as much energy as I could. I wanted to look as if I was playing the fool, raising my hands and shouting so the rocks wouldn’t have to! Jesus is King, and he reigns forever! Empires have come and gone—and American presidents, too. I’m inheriting an unshakeable kingdom, and my JOY overflows!

I can’t promise this is exactly what I will feel when I stay up late, watching returns come in. And this joy isn’t to say that election results will not matter or have real-world consequences. But this will continue to be my prayer:

Our Father in heaven:

You are sovereign and rule all things well.

We trust you for the results of this election,

whether our candidates are elected or defeated.

We trust your kingdom to come, your will to be done

in every precinct and county as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread:

of faith, hope, and love;

of humility, generosity, and compassion.

Forgive us our misplaced hopes and outsized fears

As we forgive others the wounds of their idolatries.

Lead us not into the temptation of hatred.

Deliver us from the evil of violence.

For yours, Lord Jesus, is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

Nothing surprises you, and nothing threatens your rule.

Amen.