The Election in Light of Romans 8:28

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I have made it clear that I believe that our country will be worse off if we elect radical liberals to be our government officials. I defend my stance based on the conviction that the more conservative candidates (e.g. McCain / Palin as opposed to Obama / Biden) would govern more inline with, and friendly to, biblical truth.
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I don't want to become Europe, where God has been reduce by secular society. I don't want to fight for the right to teach my children the truth of biblical creation in opposition to the lie of evolution, but I will. I don't want to fight harder to see less babies killed by abortion, but I will. I don't want to fight harder for the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, but I will. I don't want to fight harder to maintain our constitutional rights, but I will.
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Look, I am zealous for God's glory and I want a "better" world for my children. With all that being said, God is sovereign. God has His purposes. Persecution will come. I pray that I will live up to the words of my Lord when He said:
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"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matt. 5:10-16
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To have some perspective, I think that the following article from Pulpit Magazine is very helpful and edifying. - Brent
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The Election in Light of Romans 8:28
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I’m honestly not sure if there has been an event in my lifetime which has garnered as much reaction from the press and from Christians in particular as this election. Of course, the reactions have been all over the map. Some are completely indifferent, some are passionately excited, and some are discouraged and fearful of the prospects the outcome will have on the next four years.
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I’ve been particularly discouraged by the amount of panic coming from Christians concerning the results of this race. To listen to some believers talk is to get the impression that events are spiraling out of control. One evangelical leader even wrote a letter predicting a dire set of circumstances by the year 2012 based on his view of unfavorable results of the election.
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As I’ve been pondering the election and the implications of the outcome on life, I’ve been consistently challenged and encouraged as I’ve directed my thoughts toward Romans 8:28. It says:
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And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
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As we consider this verse there are 3 vital questions we must answer to help encourage our souls in uncertain times.
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What is included in all things?
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This may seem like a worthless question to ask since it is spelled out so clearly in the verse. But it is precisely because we do not ponder God’s work in “all things” that we slip into anxiety and fear. It’s easy to see God at work in the good times. We know that He is good and we like to direct our thoughts toward the times we have experienced His goodness first hand. The birth of a child, the promotion at work, and a beautiful sunset are all examples of finding God working the good things together for us.
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Where we mightily struggle in believing and practicing these words is in the bad times and the bad times are exactly where this phrase “all things” finds its primary emphasis. Even though Romans 8 is a chapter of victory and spiritual life, it is filled with language of struggle and suffering. It is in the midst of this toil to overcome sin and the suffering which results from sin that we are challenged to lift our heads and see that God is working all things behind the scenes for our good.
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What is meant by our good?
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When God promises to work all things together for our good, He is not promising to do exactly what we would like Him to do in every situation. He is not guaranteeing that He will fulfill our selfish desires by reacting to our every whim. Instead, there are two main areas where God’s sovereign orchestration of the universe brings about our good and they are closely tied together.
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First, in Romans 8:29 we find out that God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His son. Ephesians 2:10 says that we are “…His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…” God is moving every event of history toward the goal of progressing you further in your sanctification.
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Second, according to Romans 8:30, God has your ultimate glorification in mind. So the good spoken of here is both a current good and a future good. It’s a current good in the sense that everything which happens today is meant to grow you in holiness. It’s a future good because no matter what happens today, you will one day stand before the Lord glorified.
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Who is this promise made to?
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Not everyone is able to receive this promise which means that all things don’t work together for the good of everyone. Those who receive the promise are those who have been called according to God’s purpose and those who love God. This call speaks of the effectual call of God resulting in salvation, while loving God is delighting in Him and esteeming Him before anything else. We recognize that this love is not possible nor sustainable in sinful men apart from the effectual call of God. God’s call and love produce this love in men so that they may see His sovereign working of all things for their good.
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So how do these truths help us as we elect a new President?
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First, we must realize that God is completely sovereign over all events. Nothing happens apart from His plans and purposes. Most Christians acknowledge this truth in theory, but many will fail to act on it when the poll results come in late Tuesday night.
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Second, the truth that God is working all things for our current good should support us and even bring us joy no matter what happens at the polls. God will choose the next President based on what will be the most beneficial for your sanctification over the next four years. If God allows the economy to get worse or better it is for your growth in holiness. No matter what policies will be instituted, God will use them to transform believers more into His likeness.
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Finally, in all the talk about elections and new leadership, we must keep in mind our final destination. One day, according to Romans 8:30 we will stand before the Lord in our new bodies as glorified saints. If you are a believer, nothing that happens on earth can change that fact. Because this promise of God is certain, our joy, trust and confidence must be firmly placed in the Lord who made this promise, not in men who fail us so often.
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(Source: Pulpit Magazine by Nathan Williams)