Our presidential election is finally here for those of us who are United States citizens. To say that this election season has been ugly would be a vast understatement.

As I considered how to cast my vote, I was struck by how seriously many of us take it. Any one vote won’t decide who will become our new president, and yet sometimes it’s felt that way, since both sides have cast the narrative that the other one will lead us straight over a cliff into the apocalypse. I think I can safely say that for all of us, these are frightening times.

But here we are, and I hope that all of us, as we cast our votes, will with gratitude consider what a privilege and responsibility it is.

In case you were wondering, I won’t reveal here how I plan to vote. But there are some things I’d like us to consider as we look back on this election in the following days.

As precious as our vote is, do we truly understand that God is all-powerful? That his plan to redeem this broken world doesn’t hinge on whose name we select in the ballot box? Consider the hubris involved in thinking ourselves (and our country) so important that God’s purposes are dependent upon the election results.

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.

Daniel 2:20-22

Think about all the angst and anger, worry and fear that this season has engendered. Now consider how much time you have spent in prayer over it vs. ranting online or to family and friends.

Both major party candidates clearly are not Jesus-followers. How often have we prayed for them? As much power and influence as they wield, they are humans, just like us, and as such can be deceived by Satan or softened by the Holy Spirit. Whether our vote tips the scale is debatable; but our prayers are able to penetrate even the strongest defense.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16

Are we as zealous for the kingdom of God as we are for our country? Being followers of Jesus means that we are “sojourners and exiles” on this earth, as 1 Peter puts it. We are here as ambassadors of heaven and stewards of the place we have been assigned, but our hearts and our loyalty should be rooted elsewhere.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20

The coming weeks and months will be challenging. Let’s keep ourselves rooted in the word of God, secure in the love of God, and trusting in the sovereignty of God. He is the only one, when all is said and done, to whom we should pledge our full allegiance.