Apostle Paul reminds us that: “Our Citizenship is in Heaven”

Look out fellow Lutherans, primaries elections are upon us as we head into another period of nasty electioneering. One of the blessings of reaching my age is having the perspective that only time can bring. As a retired old codger, I have watched our nation elect candidates from both parties. Some I supported. Others I did not. Yet life went on, God remained faithful, and His Church continued proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.

As this election season approaches, I find myself praying less about who will win and more about who we, as Christians, are called to be.

The television, the internet, and social media all seem determined to convince us that those who disagree with us are enemies. The volume keeps getting louder, the words become harsher, and too often respect gives way to resentment. Sadly, even good Christians whether on the right or left seem to become caught up in the same ugly spirit.

But that is not who Christ calls us to be.

Every Sunday, and more often for many of us pray daily the words our Lord taught us “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Most believers recite those words from memory with few differences between fellow Christians and except for “debts and debtors to trespassers.” However, I wonder how often we stop to consider what we are actually asking of God.

We are not praying our Lord’s Prayer asking God to bless our personal agenda. We are asking Him to reshape our hearts. We are asking Him to make our lives, our churches, our communities, and even our nation reflect His will rather than our own. We are praying that His truth would guide us, His mercy would soften us, His justice would direct us, and His love would be seen in us.

Our Lord taught us a bold prayer.

It means we may have to listen more carefully before speaking. It means extending grace to those with whom we disagree. It means refusing to let politics define our relationships or diminish our Christian witness. It means remembering that every person we encounter, even one whose vote differs from ours, is someone for whom Christ died.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to speak the truth in love, to treat every person with dignity, and to vote according to a conscience shaped by Scripture and prayer. Responsible citizenship is a gift, and we should never take it for granted.

Yet we must also remember that our hope has never rested in the election booth. Our hope rests in the empty tomb. Long before campaign signs filled our neighborhoods, there was a cross. Long after the last ballot is counted, there will still be an empty grave declaring that Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death.

The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). That doesn’t make us less concerned about our nation. It reminds us that our highest allegiance belongs to Christ.

When election day arrives, vote prayerfully. Vote thoughtfully. Vote according to your Christian conscience. Then, regardless of the outcome, continue doing what Christians have done for two thousand years: worship faithfully, serve joyfully, love generously, pray for those in authority, and share the hope of the Gospel.

The morning after the election, Jesus will still be Lord. His promises will still be true. His mercy will still be new every morning. And His Church will still have the wonderful privilege of proclaiming His saving grace to a world that desperately needs hope.

So when we pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” let us remember that those words begin with us. May God’s will be done in our hearts before we ask Him to accomplish it in our world. When that prayer truly becomes our own, we will live differently. And perhaps that is exactly where God begins the work of healing both His Church and our country.

Lord’s loving peace,

Craig

Prayer Our Father in heaven, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Make those words more than a familiar prayer upon our lips. Write them upon our hearts. Shape our thoughts, our conversations, and our actions to reflect the love and truth of Jesus Christ. Grant us wisdom as we vote, humility as we listen, courage as we stand for what is right, and grace toward those with whom we disagree. May our lives bear witness not to earthly divisions but to Your eternal Kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.