We’ve come to the middle of another week, another idyllic Wednesday morning in the Northwoods. It’s a day marked by the chirping of song sparrows, the chatter of squirrels, and the snorting of a 30-point buck back in the woods.
I gaze out at my lake, and the serenity of the moment is capped by two pair of white swans, gliding slowly out from my shore on the glass-like surface of the water.
It’s time to drink in the silence, along with another sip of coffee kept hot in the cherished YETI coffee mug I bought as a souvenir from the Open Bay Lodge during a June fishing trip to Canada.
Ah. . .life is so peaceful. Doubly so, because my email inbox is no longer flooded with emails from both sides of the political aisle. My smartphone’s spam filter doesn’t keep alerting me throughout the day (and night) to one political text after another, after another, after another. My mail box no longer needs to be supersized to fit all the political fliers that kept arriving, daily, from both parties. And no longer are there endless ads on podcasts or streaming TV that scream at me about the horrors one or the other candidate will inflict on our country.
But, now what? What comes next? Some are ecstatic at the election results. Others are ready to pack up and leave the USA. Will the last election cycle result in less violence in the streets? Increased security for our country? A better economy? I have no political crystal ball to make predictions.
But this I do know, and this will never change, no matter what has happened in our elections, and no matter what side of the political aisle you stand on. Drink in this inspired encouragement shared by the Apostle Paul!
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, just how rich his glorious inheritance among the saints is, and just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe. It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church. The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23)
That’s what the Apostle Paul shows us. Jesus, King of the Universe!
Jesus ruling over everything “for the church.” For believers. For you. For me. Ruling over everything! Solar flares, atmospheric rivers, El Nino and La Nina weather patterns, earthquakes, famines, floods, hurricanes, snow-droughts or snow banks so high you can’t see over them. Our Savior is in control of the weather.
Ruling over everything! And that includes governments like ours that come and go, as nations rise and fall. Jesus, our King, controls the government. Read Romans 13:1-7 for a quick review.
Jesus is our King! He rules everything, always, “for the church.” For you. For me. So no matter what happened in this election, my dear friends in Christ, OUR KING IS IN HIS CASTLE AND HIS FLAG FLIES AT FULL-MAST!
And this leads to a final encouragement our King himself has shared with us--whether our candidate won or not, whether the election went the way we want or not. Through St. Paul our King gives us this directive.
“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
Privileged to Serve,
Rev. Glenn Schwanke
I gaze out at my lake, and the serenity of the moment is capped by two pair of white swans, gliding slowly out from my shore on the glass-like surface of the water.
It’s time to drink in the silence, along with another sip of coffee kept hot in the cherished YETI coffee mug I bought as a souvenir from the Open Bay Lodge during a June fishing trip to Canada.
Ah. . .life is so peaceful. Doubly so, because my email inbox is no longer flooded with emails from both sides of the political aisle. My smartphone’s spam filter doesn’t keep alerting me throughout the day (and night) to one political text after another, after another, after another. My mail box no longer needs to be supersized to fit all the political fliers that kept arriving, daily, from both parties. And no longer are there endless ads on podcasts or streaming TV that scream at me about the horrors one or the other candidate will inflict on our country.
But, now what? What comes next? Some are ecstatic at the election results. Others are ready to pack up and leave the USA. Will the last election cycle result in less violence in the streets? Increased security for our country? A better economy? I have no political crystal ball to make predictions.
But this I do know, and this will never change, no matter what has happened in our elections, and no matter what side of the political aisle you stand on. Drink in this inspired encouragement shared by the Apostle Paul!
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, just how rich his glorious inheritance among the saints is, and just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe. It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church. The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23)
That’s what the Apostle Paul shows us. Jesus, King of the Universe!
Jesus ruling over everything “for the church.” For believers. For you. For me. Ruling over everything! Solar flares, atmospheric rivers, El Nino and La Nina weather patterns, earthquakes, famines, floods, hurricanes, snow-droughts or snow banks so high you can’t see over them. Our Savior is in control of the weather.
Ruling over everything! And that includes governments like ours that come and go, as nations rise and fall. Jesus, our King, controls the government. Read Romans 13:1-7 for a quick review.
Jesus is our King! He rules everything, always, “for the church.” For you. For me. So no matter what happened in this election, my dear friends in Christ, OUR KING IS IN HIS CASTLE AND HIS FLAG FLIES AT FULL-MAST!
And this leads to a final encouragement our King himself has shared with us--whether our candidate won or not, whether the election went the way we want or not. Through St. Paul our King gives us this directive.
“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
Privileged to Serve,
Rev. Glenn Schwanke
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