Zoom Out

In light of our current cultural, religious, and political landscape, we may feel tempted to treat Nov 5 as a make-or-break moment of human history. I’m not here to tell you that it isn’t. It might be! I’m no prophet; only God knows. My goal is different. My encouragement is this: zoom out of this specific historical moment and remember that elections come, and elections go.

Ever heard of the election of 1876? According to ChatGPT, the Presidential race between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden was one of the most disputed in history, with Tilden winning the popular vote but falling one electoral vote short of victory. Twenty electoral votes from four states were contested due to allegations of fraud and voter suppression, leading to a national crisis (this all happened shortly after the Civil War!). A special electoral commission was formed, and after intense negotiations, Hayes was awarded the presidency in exchange for ending Reconstruction, a deal known as the Compromise of 1877.

We need perspective, and history provides that perspective. As we zoom out to consider what God has done in the past, we see beauty of what the ancient prophet Solomon tells us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new’? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Eccl 1:9–10). Get out there and vote, discern the times, always trusting the Word of God above how we feel in our current climate.

Pastor Chance