BLUE WAVE!
Yesterday’s midterm elections have brought that familiar phrase back into the political conversation. Democrats swept into power, taking control of both houses of Congress and dealing a major setback to President Trump and the Republican Party.
We’ve been here before.
On November 7, 2006, President George W. Bush was halfway through his second term when Democrats swept into power, taking control of both the House and Senate. It was called a Blue Wave.
Four years later, on November 2, 2010, President Barack Obama experienced his own midterm defeat. Republicans gained 63 seats in the House of Representatives, taking control of that chamber.
This time, it was a Red Wave.
Twenty years later, we’re still waiting for the next political wave to change America. I wonder if we’re looking for the wrong kind of wave. I’ve lived through enough elections to remember the excitement of victory and the disappointment of defeat. We elect new leaders with high expectations, hoping they will solve the problems facing our country. Yet each election seems to leave us more divided than before.
I’m not suggesting that elections don’t matter. I am grateful that we live in a country where we can freely choose our leaders. The decisions they make affect our families, our economy, and our future. But I am increasingly concerned about how much hope we place in politics.
As Christians, have we become so focused on changing our government that we’ve neglected our own relationship with God?
God tells Solomon:
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)
God was speaking to Israel following the dedication of Solomon’s temple. This was a promise made in the context of His covenant with Israel, not a guarantee of prosperity for the United States. Nevertheless, I believe there is an important lesson for Christians today. God was calling His people to humility, prayer, and repentance. He wasn’t telling them to find better political leaders. He was telling them to return to Him.
America has experienced periods of spiritual revival throughout its history. During the Great Awakenings, many people reconsidered their faith, and renewed religious conviction influenced communities across the country. I believe we need that kind of spiritual awakening today.
Our country has tremendous resources, economic opportunities, and freedoms that much of the world can only dream about. Yet material prosperity has never guaranteed spiritual well-being.
Jesus reminded us:
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:36 (ESV)
I think about that verse when I consider what we want for America. We want economic prosperity, national security, good schools, and opportunities for our children and grandchildren. I want those things too. But somewhere in our pursuit of a better country, have we lost sight of what matters most?
I wonder how much time I’ve spent following election results, reading political commentary, and worrying about the direction of our country compared with the time I’ve devoted to praying for our nation. That’s a question I need to ask myself. I believe Christians have an important responsibility to participate in society, including the political process. But our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus Christ, not a political party.
Jesus told Pilate:
My kingdom is not of this world.
John 18:36 (ESV)
His kingdom is not dependent on who occupies the White House or which party controls Congress. And if we truly want revival in America, I believe it needs to begin with those of us who claim to follow Him. That means examining how we live, how we treat others, whether we forgive those who have wronged us, and whether our daily lives reflect the faith we profess.
I’ve spent much of my life trying to make responsible decisions for my family, my career, and our future. I certainly haven’t always gotten those decisions right. But as I grow older, I am becoming more convinced that the greatest influence I can have on the world around me comes from faithfully following Christ in the ordinary events of life. That seems far more important than whether my preferred political candidates win or lose.
The celebrations and disappointments following yesterday’s election will eventually fade. Another election will come, and we’ll hear about another Red Wave or Blue Wave. In the meantime, I will continue to pray for our leaders and for our nation’s prosperity. More importantly, I will pray for revival in America, beginning with God’s people, including me.
That’s the wave I want to see.
Christ’s Wave.
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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