One of the common sayings in my family is, “I can’t know.”
It originated many years ago from a child. While most people would say, “I don’t know,” this little innocent more accurately denied not only knowing the answer, but the ability to know the answer.
And so, as of this writing on Wednesday evening, that is exactly where we are with the presidential election.
What will happen in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada? Who will be President of the United States of America? (aka “The United States of Anxiety.) Will there be civil unrest, violence, lengthy legal battles, etc?
At this point in time, we cannot know.
Yesterday, I thought I had the answer as to who would be President. The media and the pollsters were wrong in 2016, so I put little stock in their predictions. Then, I reasoned that there are some people who do this kind of thing for a living. I wondered if the odds-makers in Las Vegas, who wager on all kinds of things for their livelihood, had odds on the outcome of the Presidential race.
Now, I am not a gambler. I quit that long ago shortly after the Minnesota State Lottery came out. I do know that the number one rule of gambling is never bet what you’re not comfortable losing. Well, if everything I have is a gift from God I am supposed to be a steward of it, then I am not comfortable losing any of it. So I bet none of it.
Nonetheless, I remembered the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16. If you recall, a manager of a rich man’s money was about to be fired for wasting that money. So, he quickly contacted all of the people who owed his master money and gave them discounts on what they owed so the accounts would be settled and he would have people who owed him favors after he was fired. Then Jesus said:
“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.” Luke 16:8 (NLT)
So, now that I had a Biblical basis for my reasoning, I did a quick internet search and, sure enough, I found that for all of the daylight hours of November 3, the Las Vegas odds-makers had Joe Biden as the favorite to win the election.
Throughout the early evening, as the voting results came in, the odds slowly began to shift until, at about 10:20 CST, the odds shifted in Donald Trump’s favor.
When I woke up in the morning, lo and behold, Trump was still favored, but less so. Around 8:30 AM, the odds switched back to favor Biden.
Bottom line: As of this moment, I can’t know.
Sin City doesn’t know. The pollsters don’t know. The media does not know.
But God knows.
Yes, God knows.
We can know that there will probably be an abundance of drama and spectacle in the coming days. There is an almost certain chance that our nation will live out a political soap opera as the year draws to a close.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that even when we can’t know, even when it seems there is no end to the drama and roller-coaster ride of our national amusement park and the swirling maelstrom of our moral morass, we can know that God is still in control.
No matter who sits in the Oval Office, Jesus is still King.
And those words on the tower above Kinship Christian Radio headquarters in Blue Earth have never been more true:
JESUS IS LORD!
I praise God for the vision of those words on that tower.
AMEN!
Today’s Praise
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; Daniel 2:21 (ESV)