I am writing on Tuesday for an article that will appear on Thursday, conscious that much will change between now and then. We will possibly have moved from uncertainty to knowledge. We will probably still be waiting. The challenge today is to speak what will be true no matter what. 

First, Jesus Christ is Lord. Our salvation will not lie in political leaders of any party, and our ultimate allegiance is not to a nation of this world but to the kingdom of God. When the presidential election results are known, some will rejoice, some will grieve, others will even fear the future. But this hope is secure, that whatever happens is held in God's hands, and we know, in the end, love wins. That does not mean that nothing we do matters. Rather, it matters all the more because we, the Church, are emissaries of the kingdom coming in the present moment. 

Second, because Christ is Lord and we His emissaries, there is work before us. This was true yesterday and will be true tomorrow. In our baptism or confirmation, we took on vows of faith. In the United Methodist Church they are: 

On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you: 

Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, 

reject the evil powers of this world, 

and repent of your sin? 

I do. 

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you 

to resist evil, injustice, and oppression 

in whatever forms they present themselves? 

I do. 

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, 

put your whole trust in his grace, 

and promise to serve him as your Lord, 

in union with the Church which Christ has opened 

to people of all ages, nations, and races? 

I do. 

According to the grace given to you, 

will you remain faithful members of Christ's holy Church 

and serve as Christ's representatives in the world? 

I will. 



I will not tell you how to vote. But it is the duty of my vocation to remind you how to live. Our charge will not be changed by any election. We are to love God above all else and to care for our neighbors. Above all the political ads and speeches to come, let that call resound. Let it be our light and our guide. And let us be light to the world.