Politics and Christianity

This article was originally posted in the Christian Community group here on Multiply. I started that group back in September 2004, but I've decided to remove myself from there and focus on my DandelionWine site instead. So I'm reposting several posts that I had made over to there.

I'm rather overwhelmed by the degree to which Christians ally themselves with certain parties here in the U.S. In fact, a member of the church I attend recently compared the choices in this election to Christ vs. Satan. I can understand the fact that in the US we are free to choose our leader and free to tell others our reason for doing so. But when they suppose they know God's will on the matter I get a little disgruntled.

We can't know the minds of the candidates, only God does. Moreover, who we *think* might be the best for the position, may not be. I'm sure the Romans never would have chosen Nero if they had the choice, and yet God allowed him to take office. But God has plans that reach far beyond our own. He makes political choices based on his will, not our concept of what his will might be in this moment in history.

If we believe that God is sovereign, then why do we get so hung up on elections? Why do we put our hope in "our guy" winning?