It is somewhere around eleven p.m. and I am thinking about the election. Some will be quite satisfied and others will be quite disappointed by the national results (looking at the popular vote it is apparent that there is nearly and even split between those who are disappointed and those who are pleased). As I attempt to think my way through all of this I come to a conclusion that I think has some merit to it. It seems to me that our national elections have become a referendum that reflects mostly the personal self-interests of Americans. The statement that is answered is “what is in my best interest as a voter?” I somehow recoil at that statement, (it seems a bit harsh) but when I analyze my own heart I find that for one thing I am spoiling over what I see to be the consequences that I think will amass to me as a result of the choice that has been made. Many will certainly hope that they have the nobility to rise above that and I do not question that many do rise somewhat above that but yet the reality exists that we view such things from a perspective of what we deem it to mean for us personally.
I have chosen to deal with this by spending some time with my good friend Thomas Watson. I have found some “manna” there that I would like to share with you. In his section on Assurance of Salvation he writes the following: A Body of Divinity, Thomas Watson, pp 259, 260
Watson states that the first fruit of sanctification is assurance and goes on to make this observation about assurance:
Improve assurance, by walking more heavenly. You should scorn the things below; you who have an earnest of heaven, should not be too earnest for the earth. You have angels' food, and it becomes not you, with the serpent, to lick the dust. The wicked are all for corn, wine and oil; but you have that which is better. God has lifted up the light of his countenance; and will you hanker after the world, when you have been feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the holy land? Do you now lust after the garlics and onions of Egypt? When you are clothed with the sun, will you set the moon and the stars above you? Oh let them scramble for the world, who have nothing else but husks to feed on. Have you assurance of heaven, and is not that enough? Will not a kingdom satisfy you? Such as are high in assurance, should live above the world. Improve assurance by a cheerful walking. It is for condemned persons to go hanging down their heads. But hast thou thy absolution? Does thy God smile on thee? Cheer up. 'Why art thou, being the king's son, lean?' 2 Sam. 13:4. Art thou the king's son? Has God assured thee of thy adoption, and art thou sad? Assurance should be an antidote against all trouble. What though the world hate thee? Thou art assured that thou art one of God's favourites. What though there is but little oil in the cruse, and thou art low in the world? Thou art high in assurance. Oh, then rejoice! How musical is the bird! How does it chirp and sing, though it knows not where to pick up the next crumb! And shall they be sad and discontented who have God's bond to assure them of their daily bread, and his love to assure them of heaven? Certainly those who have assurance, cannot but be of a sanguine complexion.
Those who are pleased with the election will find no need of this balm, but may I caution you with the reality that in this context both pleasure and sadness flow from the same fountain. We may all be cautioned to examine what fountain it is that we are finding our hope and happiness in. We as believers really do belong to “another world”. Pastor Pestel
