The Most Important Election

“…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”

Ephesians 1:4a

Linda and I voted today.  For us this election marks a couple of firsts.  This is the first time we ever voted by Absentee Ballot.  That’s a more involved process than I realized.  For the past several months the American Consulate has been emailing us to tell us how to do this.  So in September we downloaded the registration form.   We filled that out and sent it to the clerk in Denton County Texas.  A couple of days later we received all the paper work we needed and a ballot for each of us.  This week we each did our voting.  We put it in the appropriate envelopes, and put the mailing labels on the front.  Then today, I walked both our ballots over to the US consulate.  The guard came out, I dropped them in the voting box.  Now the US consulate will mail them back to the states for us.  All of that was a first for us.

This election is also the first time we have ever been tempted not to vote.  Like many back in the states this election has frustrated us – so much nastiness… no candidates we really wanted to vote for… We almost decided not to vote.  But we couldn’t do that.  Voting is too important.  No we don’t buy the argument that the world will end if the wrong person wins.  No what makes voting important to us is the fact that members of our families risked their lives fighting for this right.  Men and women have died so that we could have this right.  We would dishonor their sacrifice by not voting. 

What helped me get past my frustrations?  It was an editorial that reminded me that no matter who wins the election, the next day Jesus will still be King of kings and Lord of lords.  That put everything in perspective for me.  Yes the presidential election is important.  But it’s not the end of the world.  The results of that election are only temporary… only really impacting this life.

There is another election that is much more important, an election that has eternal significance.  That’s the one Paul describes in Ephesians 1:4 - “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”  The most important election is the one that God held before He even created the world.  Think of all that He elected before time began.  He elected to create this whole, vast, beautiful universe.  He elected to create mankind, to put us in this world to take care of it.  Knowing all along that we would rebel, He elected to give the world a savior.  He elected that His own Son would come into this world, die for the sins of the world and be raised to life in order to conquer death.  On a more personal note, He elected to make you His own in Christ.  He chose you to be adopted as His Sons in baptism. 

God’s election is way more comforting and hopeful than even the best presidential election could ever hope to be.   Just think, knowing that the world would reject Him, God elected to love the world anyway.  Indeed He so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him might not perish but will have eternal life.   Knowing how sinful you and I would be, He elected to love us anyway.  He elected to call you and me by name, to wash away our sins and adopt us as His own in baptism.  Our assurance of forgiveness, our confidence in God’s love, our hope for eternity are not made certain by our choices and elections.  They are made certain by God’s choosing.

What about those living around us who do not believe?  Is there hope or comfort?  Do they have a place in God’s election?  They most certainly do!   Before the foundation of the world God elected to love the whole world.  God elected to give His Son for everyone.  That objective act is what gives me the confidence that He gave His Son for me.  Paul wrote “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself...”   God’s word is clear.  “God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”  His arms are open, inviting all to come to Him… wanting everyone to hear how much He loves them… desiring all to believe in Jesus and be saved…  How will that happen?  We come back to His election.  He has elected you and me who believe to tell people about Him and His Son Jesus.

To me that puts this other election in context.  Why waste so much energy worrying and fretting and arguing over who gets elected President?  How much better to focus on the comfort, the hope, the purpose, the eternal blessings God’s election in Christ brings to you and me.  That’s the most important election.