It’s Time

It’s time. Time to finally consider the candidates. Time to vote in a historic presidential election of "firsts"—the first black presidential candidate nominated by a major party and the first female vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party. It’s also the first in a long time that a candidate has basically run against his own party’s incumbent president and that moral issues have been overshadowed by one solitary economic preoccupation.

It’s time to vote on tickets of widely diverse views. Consider the issues.

Economic: Do we vote to raise taxes on the wealthy to give money to the less wealthy in order to expand the economy or do we vote to expand the economy by letting major investment money stay with its earners. It’s time to vote!

National Security: Do we vote to talk to our nation’s enemies to improve our global reputation or do we vote to maintain a hard line whether others like us or not? It’s time to vote!

Court Appointees: Do we vote to nominate to the Supreme Court those who view the Constitution as a malleable document or do we vote to nominate strict constructionists? It’s time to vote! (It is estimated that a President will appoint approximately 2,500 people to various offices.)

Social Issues: Do we vote for continued abortions, same-sex marriage and expanded homosexual rights or do we vote for a pro-life viewpoint and traditional definitions of family and marriage? It’s time to vote!

Israel: Do we vote for an unproven support for Israel or do we vote for a long-lived, consistent support for our most reliable ally in the Middle East? It’s time to vote!

Broadcast Freedom: Do we vote for an imposition of the Fairness Doctrine, which would dampen freedom to broadcast on moral issues, or do we vote for continued freedom of speech in the broadcast media? It is time to vote!

Do we vote for youth, oratory and charisma matched with elaborate campaign promises to bring change or do we vote for experience, age and a long-lived track record with elaborate campaign promises to bring desired change? It’s time to vote!

Do we stay at home because we don’t like either ticket or do we exercise our God-given, Scripture command to render to Caesar his due (Luke 20:25)? It’s time to vote, and I hope we all do vote!

In the U.S., "Caesar" is the Constitution, which places ultimate responsibility for American governance squarely with the voters. After prayer for our leaders and those in positions of influence, as I Timothy 2:2 enjoins, and after carefully examining the candidates’ positions, it is time to vote!

As of this morning, many voters still list themselves as undecided. The election outcome evidently rests with these who have a few hours to decide to go one direction or the other. Since I Timothy 2:1 & 2 directs me to pray for all men everywhere as well as those in authority, I’ll be praying for you, a special group who holds the election in your hands, that you will see the issues clearly and vote your intelligent consciences. Believers’ consciences will be aided by the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things (John 14:26) and who gives wisdom from above, not just from mortal sources (James 1:5, 3:15-17).

If everyone who cares and who knows that elections really matter votes, I will live with the results whatever they are. And I will be praying for the new president, vice president, senators and congressmen whoever they may be.

David Virkler