Daniel’s Den: The Election: Who Will Win?
After the “Primaries” in four States this past week, the Presidential Race is narrowing down to just a handful of contenders. It is a fascinating process. Our Canadian neighbors were surveyed, and they are so enamored by our electoral ways that they wish they could vote in our election!
I cannot share their fervor. “Big block” politics takes decisions out of the plebiscites’ hands. It takes a “ton of money” to advertise and get one’s name before the public, so people will vote for a candidate. The candidate whose “war chest” is more abundant than another’s can advertise more extensively, and will more likely get the majority of a State’s votes. During a “Primary,” a party is looking for which of their candidates is more popular.
A candidate who gets the most votes in one State (It’s called “winning.”), may not get as many votes in the next several State primaries (It’s called “losing.”). He or she is still collecting delegates toward their national convention, however.
After many State primaries with similar results, a candidate can make one of four choices: (1) drop out, (2) suspend their effort, (3) endorse another candidate, (4) keep on. “Steam roller” effects after several early primaries do effect the voting in the later primaries. By the time your State holds her primary, your favorite candidate may already be “history.”
What about your choice and decision? It got lost somewhere in the maelstrom of big money and big numbers. It got traded off to someone else who got bigger numbers. It never made it to the national convention floor. Your candidate was not impressive enough.
Is this how God elects people to salvation? Some might think so. Some evangelical denominations teach that one has to “pray through” at some kind of “mourner’s bench,” supplicating God to forgive them and to save them. Fanny J. Crosby believed that way, and she wrote a song about it: “Pass Me Not.” The lyrics and music convey some of the saddest emotions I have ever heard, that of a penitent believer begging God to save them!
Penitence is important. Calling on the name of the Lord in baptism is essential (Acts 22:16). The words of Jesus, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out,” (Jn. 6:37) are wonderful!
Praise God for the value He places on individual people! No one, obedient to His will, ever gets lost in the shuffle!
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