Wayne Moore
Pastor
High Point Baptist
I recently read a post on history.com that documented that the first United States presidential election was on January 7, 1789. According to the article, only white male landowners were allowed to vote.
Voting rights have changed since then, but one thing has not: our need for God. We need God, and putting a godly leader in our nation’s highest office would acknowledge that a majority of Americans agree.
In ancient Israel, residents in the land did not get to vote for their leaders. They were ruled by kings. Unfortunately, most of their kings were ungodly.
One of the few good kings was Hezekiah. An account of his reign is given in 2 Kings, chapters 18-20. He was a man who looked to God for approval, not the polls (18:3). He made moral reform the priority (18:4).
I’ve heard it said that morality cannot be legislated. My response to that is that immorality sure has been legislated. Hezekiah was not afraid to stand for what is right because he trusted in God, not man (18:5). Doing what is right is not easy, but he stayed the course and remained faithful (18:6). And because he was on the Lord’s side, the Lord was on his side (18:7).
Hezekiah’s defining moment came in his 14th year, when the Assyrian empire threatened to destroy his kingdom (18:13). After trying man’s approach to solve the problem and failing (18:14-37), he turned to the Lord (19:1-19) who heard his prayers and saved him from defeat (19:20-37).
Do you believe that trusting in God is more than a phrase on our currency? That it really makes a difference? Then don’t you want a president who trusts in God? I’m not suggesting that we put our hope in a man. I agree with Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptist Convention that “Our ultimate hope is not in the White House, the State House, nor the Court House, but in the work of God in the Church house.”
I am suggesting that it makes sense for God’s people to want a godly man in office. A man like Hezekiah. A man who depends on God, not himself. A man who does not think he can turn things around, but knows that God can. God does not need our help to get the right man in office, but we do need His guidance to know who to vote for. God’s sovereignty is not at stake, but we can be found either on the right side or the wrong side of God’s will.
The Virginia and North Carolina primaries are coming up in March. I urge every citizen to exercise their freedom and responsibility to vote. I plead with every Christian to vote by the values God teaches us in His Word, the Bible.
