How do we live in a world where we are in dual citizenship of the world we live in and of God’s kingdom?
Politics and election advertisements; how do we keep our sanity in all this madness? Is God really in charge? We challenge those in charge with common sense. Our trust in government leadership is at an all time low. It’s always been like that.
Paul puts it like this, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. -Romans 13:1-2
All? Even those I disagree with?
He who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God instituted.
So, what do we do with this? We have to remember that God is ultimately in control of every authority. That’s hard when we can’t understand why. I get that, but God doesn’t make mistakes. He allows some things to bless us and others to teach us.
We are so determined to get what we want and we follow that platform that we think will give us what we want or need.
God is bigger than any government!
Trusting God to bless me or teach me doesn’t mean all leaders are godly or believers. God raises Joseph up to save a nation.
God is working through leaders and governments because he can see the whole picture.
Do I trust that God is still in control?
Submission is about trusting God and not agreeing with the authority. We can disagree and still be respectable.
To submit, we trust God.
King Saul was very popular, but he was a despicable person. They wanted a king, so God gave them Saul.
David was respectful of Saul because he was anointed by God. David could have killed Saul, but he didn’t because he trusted God. He respected God’s anointing on Saul.
What does submission look like now?
Not to speak ill of someone in power.
There are limits to human authority. Hills that you should be willing to stand on.
Obey God rather than human beings. Those are exceptions and they are rare.
Daniel in Babylon disagreed with King Nebuchadnezzar, but he was respectful. When the king passed a rule that was against God, he just didn’t follow the rule. He didn’t make a beg deal about it.
How can you walk a line of submission? Trust God more deeply.
Who in authority do you struggle to respect? Pray for them and trust in God. We only see a small section of the puzzle, but God sees the whole thing and is in control.
I know this isn’t always easy, but we have to tame our tongues, so to speak, and believe that the God of all creation has a plan. He’s never surprised by anything we throw at him.
We need to pray for our authorities to follow God’s lead. He has a purpose for everyone.
Where God Leads 