Walking through many stores over the past month we were greeted by Halloween candy, costumes and decorations. And Christmas trees. Businesses are always supposed to be looking ahead. That of course doesn't necessarily mean that I want to be looking ahead to Christmas before we have even finalized plans for Halloween.
The same is true of elections. We finally got most of the votes counted last night. And we are already looking forward to what will happen in 2012. So much can change in 24 months that is hardly seems worth it to spend much time prognosticating on that election.
And as far as elections go, whether you feel your ideas won or lost or some of both, elections come and go, but the Word of God endures. And he says that whatever authority has been set over us is set there by him and we are therefore to pray for them, submit to them, and not put too much stock in their ability to address the greater issues of life.
The four freedoms made famous by FDR in 1941 (freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear) provided the impetus for great social change in the US as we engaged in a season of political activity specifically aimed at giving people the freedom from want.
Yet Jesus reminded us that we will always have the poor among us. And as long as there are people who are poor (using whatever standard of poor you desire) people will want. Wanting more seems to be a hallmark of humanity. Government cannot give us freedom from want. That can only come from a change of heart, to a heart of contentment grown in the soil of faith in God.
