As I write, hundreds of thousands of people from all over Lebanon (and quite a few from outside Lebanon) are casting their votes in the national general election. The race is tight—both coalitions promise change, both promise safety, security, stability, higher wages, better living conditions and things that people the world over are promised by various politicians on a reasonably frequent basis. And many believe them, many place their hope for the future of this country in the hands of a few men that have promised good things for them.
The only problem is this: men (and women) let us down. Our politicians rarely fulfil all of their promises. Historically, no human leader (as far as I’m aware) has left his constituents perfectly satisfied, perfectly affluent, or perfectly safe. And I don't think this election will be any different.
Humans have a pretty poor track record in leading selflessly, honestly and faithfully. The Bible says that “...there is no one who does good, not even one” that is, not that we do no good things, but that even in our best moments, we are not perfectly good—each of us tainted by sin, often by selfishness or by self-glorifying motives. None of us, then, is completely trustworthy, or completely honourable, which makes voting hard.
What to do then? Should we put our hope somewhere? Or consider everything as hopeless? Psalm 145 says that “The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving to all he has made.” Unlike humans, God actually does what he says he will do. In the Old Testament, God promised a nation for himself and a land for that nation. Promises fulfilled. God promised a Saviour who would be King forever but would first die to save humans from their corruptness and its consequences. Promise fulfilled. And now, for those who trust in that Saviour, God promises life after death, he promises a new world without sin or sickness or poverty or death. And I trust him because he has always been, and will always be faithful to his word.
So don’t put your hope in the Conservatives, or Obama or your friends. Don’t invest your trust for the future in Tottenham (who would?), Andy Murray, your vicar or your family. Enjoy them, love them, honour them as appropriate, but don’t put your hope in them. They will let you down. Trust God, the beginning and the end, always the same, unchanging, and faithful to promises so much better than any human will be able to make to you