pat loughery

In the past few days a pastor at a John McCain rally prayed that God would protect His name by causing McCain to defeat The Other Guy, since there were non-Christians praying for The Other Guy to win.  Here’s a clip:

Now, as this election is drawing near, we’re hearing more and more partisanship from two campaigns who promised that they would run a better way, with honor and respect for their opponent. Both sides are doing it, and both sides’ followers are increasingly clear that they are the only ones who are right.  The Christians on each side are increasingly convinced that God is on their side.

God is not.

Here’s a story that is important to keep in mind this election season.  It happens to be from the Hebrew Scriptures, what we call our Old Testament.

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord ^[d] have for his servant?”

15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

– Joshua 5:13-15; NIV

Here’s the point:  When we think that God would only vote Republican (because of abortion or gay marriage), or whether we think that God would only vote Democrat (because of concern for the poor and social justice), we are fundamentally wrong.  God’s goodness and holiness are so much more than the best of both sides that our categories for goodness are decimated.
God does not belong to your favorite political party.  God transcends such petty things.

Take off your shoes.  The Earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.  Including your political party, and including your opponent’s.