We have come down to the wire in the national decision. By this time next week, all of us will be clear who our next president will be. Right now, the polls are showing the 
population split down the middle and nobody seems to know, for sure, how things will turn out. But soon all of the speculation will be over, and what is currently only cognizant in the mind of God, will be plain for the rest of us as well. This reminds me of what Jesus asserted regarding His second coming.
The promise of Scripture is that, as surely as Jesus lived, died, resurrected, and ascended, He would also return in a very public way. Just like now, days before the ballot box, seemingly everyone on television has an opinion on the outcome, and the airwaves are filled with conjecture and guesses, but soon all will have the same information. Similarly, people offer up various ideas regarding Jesus Christ, but the future holds a day when all questions are resolved, and there will be no doubt as to the truthfulness of His claim. “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11 abbrev.), some with rejoicing and worship, others regretful lament. The clarion question that remains is not whether all people will eventually know, but since you have heard His claim, what will you do with that today?
The presidential election isn’t the only heated argument presenting two starkly different views of the future; the discussion regarding the professions of Christ is similarly debated. Just like in political dialogue, most people hold the opinions of others without personally weighing through the issues, evidences, and implications of what they are saying. Repeating rhetoric is so commonplace that it seems to pass for actual thoughtful discourse in almost every area of our culture. But the Bible says that one day each one of us will give an individual account and that will be no time to attempt the common strategies of blame shift and spin, for Jesus can slice right through that before it is even attempted.
When the children of Israel were brought out of bondage into the Promised Land, their laws and governance were under the direction of God. But, in their foolishness, they grew weary of looking upward for answers, and decided they wanted to be like the other nations, where there was a dynamic leader ruling from an earthly capital. They got what they wanted. And, tragically, their selection process and search criteria were not much different than ours today. Someone tall, handsome, and charismatic was who they were looking for. They sought for a man that looked and sounded like a king in the same way that America desires a person that appears “presidential.” But Jesus doesn’t fit that bill.
The Bible records that Jesus didn’t stand out from the crowds in terms of physical characteristics; He apparently looked pretty average. For many who were looking for a Messiah that was a political revolutionary, Jesus’ would be a grave disappointment. If one was seeking to know God, His thoughts, intents, and actions, they needed look no further. But if they craved a captain who would fix their economic situation, liberate them from social oppression, and renew their national pride, they would need to hunt elsewhere. Those that choose to follow Christ are forced to go past outward impressions and listen to His message. Jesus’ Kingdom is one of inner transformation, not mere political reform. And thus, the rewards of His program would be eternal in nature.
What is interesting about where our country is just days before the vote is that it has come down to two candidates that most Americans believe “look presidential?” Therefore, citizens are forced to gaze beyond the superficial and examine the issues. The same is true in response to Jesus. Regardless of who our next president will be, Jesus will remain King of the universe and ultimate Judge of mankind. But for many, He is also their Savior, Lord, and friend. This is a relationship where His grace flows, washing sin and its affects, entered into by faith, at the invitation of Christ Himself. This is so much more than casting a vote for one’s favorite leader, a scene that is repeated every four years in our blessed United States; this is essential to abundant life itself.