Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

We here in the United States are in the middle of an election season.  We are bombarded with so many voices that it is confusing. I realize that our citizenship is in heaven but we are in some way in the kingdoms of this world.

I must admit that now and again I find myself saying to myself, “Hold on a bit.  Stick your head above the news of the day – way, way up – and look to Jesus who made it clear that he came to establish his kingdom on earth that is continuous with his kingdom in heaven, where he has already taken the seat of sovereignty.  His kingdom is open to all who believe and follow the Lamb where it goes.”

I find myself processing what is happening here in our nation.

First, as our culture becomes more and more secular, it will have less and less interest in the kingdom that Jesus is reigning over. I see signs that the majority of the voters in this nation have little regard for that Kingdom or even know that it exists. Therefore, secularism is growing and growing.  The followers of the Lamb are a distinct minority, the likely result. Only rarely does an entire national population want to follow Jesus as revealed in the Scriptures.  I should not be dismayed by that.  Christianity does not depend on the arm of the flesh to live the life of Christ nor should it expect that secular governments will want to protect them. As a matter of fact, the followers of Jesus Christ in many lands, while hoping to be protected by their governments, live every day as minority communities with a world-view unlike their fellow citizens.  Like here.

Second, I think it can be assumed that governments will shield their minorities, even Christian communities.  Those who do not, such as in the nations that have embraced Islamic Sharia Law, would like the Christians to leave, as they have done to a large degree in Turkey that used to be a strong center of Christianity. Much of Christianity today resembles the first three centuries when they were an ignored minority.

Thirdly, we, as believers in the whole world, need to embrace the fact that the kingdom to which we belong, the Kingdom of Christ, will continue to not only survive but will keep advancing all over the world as it has been since Jesus ascended into glory with the parting words to evangelize the whole world!

Fourth, we should be thankful that our nation is committed to protecting religious communities.  We should use those privileges, as we have done for the past two hundred years, to share the Gospel all across our planet.