“It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.”
I don’t much like R.E.M. and I don’t actually think it’s the end of the world. The election ended two days ago and we’re still here. There has been unrest, there has been despair and there has been hope. Unfortunately so much of how we all have felt has been dependent upon who we wanted in the White House. Some people feel like the world is going to end and some people feel like it’s a brand new day.
I hadn’t written much about the election up until this week. I really want The Christian Nerd to be a space to celebrate all the nerdclinations that unify us and bind us together. We may or may not be excited about the election results, but we can all be excited about Rogue One.
However, I really felt compelled to share about our Christian response to the election. So many of my Christian friends, both Republicans and Democrats, had seemingly attached all of their hopes to their candidate. As I’ve written this week, though, there’s more for followers of Jesus to consider than just the election results.
I have Christian friends who cannot understand followers of Jesus who voted for Trump. I have other Christian friends who cannot understand followers of Jesus who voted for Hillary. Those Christians most passionate about this election seemed to think the world was going to end if their candidate lost. The world isn’t going to end because of this election, though. And even if Jesus returns, the world still won’t end; it will be fully restored and saved.
This quote from Louis Evely seemed rather timely given this week’s election:
To believe in God is to believe in the salvation of the world. The paradox of our time is that those who believe in God do not believe in the salvation of the world, and those who believe in the future of the world do not believe in God.
Maybe some Christians think that the world hinges on this election because they’re simply waiting for God to destroy it and beam them up to heaven. God isn’t going to destroy the world, though, not after giving so much to rescue and redeem it. We don’t have to lose hope over an election because we know ultimately Jesus’ saving work will redeem and restore all things. And regardless of who won this election, our call as followers of Jesus remains the same: to participate in that redemptive and restorative work.
Whichever corrupt, godless megalomaniac won the election, the sun was always going to rise and life was always going to continue. And even if this election is the tipping point that ushers in Jesus’ return, the earth won’t explode in the middle of space. It won’t be the end of the world but, as R.E.M. said, it will be the end of the world as we know it. The world we know will be consumed by the new heaven and the new earth and that should make us feel more than fine.
Thank you for this post. I know people on both sides and most of them are on extreme ends of the spectrum. Either extreme joy or extreme despair. I personally didn’t vote for trump. However when he became the nominee, I came to grips with the fact that he may be our next President. I just don’t understand how finding more reasons to divide ourselves can be good for the country. We have a President elect and all we can do now is pray, which no matter who we elect to a position of power, I believe that is our job as Christians.
Very much so, Praying for our leaders is vital, because God could capture their hearts and lead them down a better path.