I remember an old joke about Election Day and the Chicago way, which said to get out there and vote for the candidate of your choice from just one political party.  The fake advertisement ended with an admonition to vote early and often.  Today, many are turning out at the polls to vote for their choice candidates for sheriff, school boards, state and national congress, and judges.  We as Americans have a long history of democracy and having our say in who our leaders are going to be.

     In the Lord’s kingdom, however, that is not the case.  We already have a head of the kingdom, and that is our King.  He is our Lord as well as our Savior, and He does not have to run for office or have our vote of approval to continue His reign.  We are told that Jesus will continue to reign over His kingdom until the end of time, when He delivers the kingdom up to His Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).  We are told that Jesus is the head of the body, the church (Ephesians 5:23).  It is that spiritual kingdom that He has reigned over ever since He ascended back into heaven and took His place at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 1:1-4; Psalm 110:1-4).

    As such, it is not up to us to decide who the ruler will be.  It is not up to us to decide who will sit in judgment over us.  It is not up to us to decide which religious practices we are to perform and which we are not to partake in.  God makes those decisions, and His kingdom is not a democracy.  Thus, we do not have the right to pick and choose and make decisions about that which God has already legislated.

     As we exercise our freedom to have a voice in our government in the political arena this day, let us not forget that in matters of religion we do not get to make those same decisions.  Let us look to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, as our leader, shepherd, ruler, savior, friend, judge, and advocate!