“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: ‘We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.’” (Isaiah 26:1–4, ESV)
In this passage, we look to the Messianic Kingdom. The city is Jerusalem, and the righteous nation is the faithful remnant of God. The faithful will experience a strong city. Those who focus upon the Lord will experience perfect peace. The reason for this is that the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
While the passage refers to a future kingdom on earth where the Lord will dwell with His people, the passage presents truth that is applicable for us today. At stake for a nation is the blessing of God’s peace. See the word of the Psalmist.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!” (Psalm 33:12, ESV)
Will we in the United States be a nation whose God is the Lord or will we be a nation who is its own god. As a nation, we face many decisive moral issues. As a people, we have an opportunity to align ourselves in the upcoming election. These issues will either unite us as a nation with the mind of God or polarize us against God.
One of the great moral issues on the table is that of the sanctity of life. Is it morally right for people to abort unborn children? I am amazed at the blatantly overt campaigning of candidates who support abortion. When a candidate advertises that he or she supports abortion, it is because he or she believes that the electorate holds the same views. It is a commentary on the moral degradation of our society. I never thought that I would see the day, in this country, where pro-abortion candidates would be so blatant on their position.
Where will the abortion on demand issue take us as a nation? How far is late term abortion from partial birth abortion? How far is partial birth abortion from infanticide? How far is infanticide from euthanasia? How far is euthanasia from institutions in government-controlled healthcare limiting care for seniors and those with chronic conditions?
Another key issue involves the sanctity of marriage. According to the Bible, what constitutes a married couple? What does God say on this issue? What does nature demand? Is it right for a nation or states to redefine the family unit contrary to basic biblical definitions? If we destroy the family, we will destroy society.
I am afraid that there is a push in our country to remove God. Today, certain government officials either deny God or scoff at us who hold to true biblical values. Others claim to be Christian but legislate contrary to the biblical moral values so clearly delineated in the Scriptures. What will happen to a nation that has such a wanton disregard for the heart of God? To me this is frightening. What amazes me is that Christians can vote for candidates who clearly hold views and will push an agenda that is contrary to the word of God.
I encourage every believer to vote in the upcoming election. However, I further challenge every believer to vote intelligently and according to true biblical moral convictions. We need to put aside our party favoritism, personal wants and desires, even the personalities of the candidates, and consider if the candidate’s platform agrees with the moral precepts of God’s word. We need to do our part in aligning our nation with the heart of God. Remember, we need to be a nation that reveres God and holds His values high, if we want to experience His blessings.
Renewing the Heart 