Former president Glover Cleveland said in his inaugural address in 1885: “Your every voter, as surely as your chief magistrate, exercises a public trust.” Many think that their vote would not make a difference. Many elections have been decided by one or two or by a few dozen votes. We not only have the right to vote, but a trust and an obligation to vote.

Some may be disillusioned or even disgusted with our government and it’s policies and public officials. The Scriptures make it plain that we must still be patriots and love and pray for our government. (See 1 Timothy 2:1-3) As St. Augustine put it, “Christians are commanded to love the whole world, yet practically speaking we cannot do so.” Since we are placed as if by “divine lot” in a particular nation state, it is God’s calling that we “pay special regard” to those around us in that state. We love the world by loving the specific country and community where we live.

C.S. Lewis compared the love of country to our love for the home and community. “It is the natural love of the place where we grew up,” he said, “love of old acquaintances, of familiar sights, sounds and smells. However, in love of country, as in love of family, we don’t love our spouses only when they are good.” A patriot sees the flaws of his country, acknowledges them, weeps for them, but remains faithful in love.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of love for his country even as he attempted to change its laws. “Whom you would change, you must first love,” he said.

We must love our country, but we do not overlook moral judgment. The issues we face as a country are really moral issues. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) As you cast your vote on Election Day, pray and ask God to give you wisdom and direction.

The philosopher William James wrote a century ago, “This life is worth living, we can say, since it is what we make it, from the moral point of view. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact… There is but one unconditional commandment, which is that we should seek to incessantly, with fear and trembling, so to vote and to act as to bring about the very largest universal good which we can see.”

As you cast your vote on Election Day, pray and courageously vote for morality. Vote for life. Realize that our vote doesn’t end at the ballot box. We cast our vote every day of our life through our decisions, actions, attitudes and words.

If you are perplexed and perturbed at the condition of the world, allow me to recommend that you Vote Jesus – A Man Of His Word! He will never fail or disappoint you. Isaiah prophesied of His coming. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace…” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Jesus cast His vote for you when He said yes to the Father, came down to earth and died on the cross in our place, for our sins. “Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…” (Philippians 2:8-11)

It is time to cast your vote. “I call heaven and earth to record this day… I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Cast your vote for Jesus. “And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1 John 5:11-12, NASB) You cast your vote for Jesus when you invite Him into your life, (See Revelation 3:20) and make Him the Savior and Lord of your life. (See Romans 9:10-11)

Many citizens simply neglect to vote on Election Day. God’s Word gives a strong warning to those who neglect to vote for Jesus and choose life eternal in Christ. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3)

In the ancient courtroom of the Greeks and Romans, the judge would sometimes pass sentence by casting the accused a black or white stone. The white stone symbolized being found innocent or pardoned. Jesus says that those who cast their vote for Him by faith in Christ, living in obedience to God, will be given a white stone with a new name in it. This carries with it the idea of victory. (See Revelation 2:17)

Be sure to vote on Election Day. Be even surer to vote Jesus – A Man Of His Word!

“For as many as received Him gave He power to become sons of God, even as many as believed on His name.” (John 1:12)