Today is election day in Lake County, Illinois. And Gages Lake Bible Church is privileged to offer our facility to the county as a polling place. I’m always encouraged every election day by the dozen or so dedicated men and women who serve as election judges. These are folks who took time off from work or school and sit for over 12 hours, making sure we have a fair election. We Americans tend to take this for granted, as if every person on the earth has the opportunity to voice their opinion on who leads them, but it is a rare thing this form government.
I’ve travelled overseas a bit. I’ve spent time in India and in the Middle East. I’ve seen how messy governments are in other countrys, whether its a sort of cobbled-together democracy or a dictatorship or a police state. The common, ordinary person doesn’t have any say in who make the laws. I’m always glad to come back and touch down in the U.S. and know that our Republic runs relatively smoothly, that we have a peaceful transfer of power from party to party.
We all know that America has problems. We know there is a values crisis. We fear what is coming. But for the moment, let’s stop and praise God today to live in a country that is free, that allows us to worship freely, to preach the Word, and to live out our faith. That freedom is owed in part to these faithful poll-watchers and election judges who give of their time. If you see one today, give them a pat on the back and a thank-you.