The votes are still being tallied as I sit here this late Tues. eve Nov. 4th and write. It looks like, as I've expected, Obama will win the 2008 Presidential election. And I'll admit that my reaction to that is, basically, "Whatever."
This is not because I don't care. It's because I just wonder how any of us can really, truly know what we are voting for when we press those little levers (or however we register our vote). We probably have a pretty good idea of what we want...but certainly not what we're going to get. (Yeah, I know what John F. Kennedy said.)
I used to think that the reason I felt I was floundering in the voting both was because I just wasn't informed enough. Then I listened to other people's opinions about candidates and votes, and realized that they probably weren't so informed either. And I still think this, about both them and me. Actually, I wonder how anybody can really be informed enough. There are so many issues and concerns; so much inside information; so much gossipy, one-sided information; so much spin, deceit, and utter garbage, that no one can possibly sort it all out. And there are all kinds of inner workings of our government and related systems that not even members of the government are privy to.
Let's face it, there is no way that any of us can become educated enough about all the complex systems that run our country to even know what really would be best in many situations. This is not to say that all issues aren't clear-cut. Some are. It's also not to say that I don't think we should vote. We should.
I just think that what we actually vote for isn't presidential candidates but for our own hopes and dreams. It's good that we can hope and dream. It's even better that we have a lot more choice in this country than those in many other parts of the world can even dream of. We have a responsibility to honor this freedom of choice and...choose. But we must also realize, I think, that we don't have the power we think we do; that politicians and their policies don't always have the power we wish they did; and that, often, they do actually have a lot more power than is good for either them or us.
But God, thank God, is sovereign, and good. God is good. Even when it may seem very hard to believe, we must have faith to see that this is true. And if we are citizens of His kingdom, we need not worry, in the face of eternity, about whatever happens, seemingly good or bad, here on this earth.
The government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
