Put No Hope in Presidents

Psalms 130 and 131 are psalms that express trust in the LORD that evidenced by waiting upon Him. The first, Psalm 130, depicts this waiting upon the LORD by employing the image of the watchman waiting for the morning. This image evokes a sense of expectation for morning shall surely come. The second, Psalm 131, depicts waiting upon the LORD by employing the image of a weaned child with his mother. This image evokes a sense of trust and safety in mother’s arms. In light of the events of this Tuesday, I exhort you to heed the words of the psalmist and put your trust in the LORD. As the people of God you “do not put your hope in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” Instead, put your trust in the LORD the maker of heaven and earth, and in His Son who has been given all authority therein. Christ is even now sitting at the right of the Father directing all things after the counsel of His will for the good of the Church and for the advancement of His kingdom in the earth. Whatever the outcome of Super Tuesday, you can know that God’s kingdom is advancing in the earth and the gates of hell shall not withstand our march to the ends of the earth. Yes, you should vote. Yes, the issues before our nation are important. But the kingdom doesn’t advance by the power of the sword. The kingdom advances by the power of the Spirit working by Word and Sacrament in and through the worshipping community that is the Church. The kingdom advances as we do what we’re doing right here this morning. Whether our next president is Obama, or McCain, his heart will be in the hand of our LORD and He will turn it like a channel of water to do whatsoever He pleases (Pr. 21:1). And one day all the kings of the earth will join us in worshipping our Triune God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.