The shortest election result in American history only took an hour and fifty minutes to decide. Ronald Reagan won the election at 9:50 PM EST on November 4, 1980 because that was the exact time Jimmy Carter conceded the race.
The longest time the American people have had to wait for election results was in 1876. It took our government four months to declare the winner that year. Rutherford B. Hayes didn’t actually win the election until March 2, three days before his inauguration.
This year, we have been surprised because it’s been four days since election day and we still don’t know the official results. For many people these last four days have felt like four long months. The media has led us to believe that the results will come in soon, but there is no guarantee that will happen. The 20th Amendment of our Constitution does not have a deadline for declaring a winner. It only mentions that the next president will begin his term at noon on January 20th. It looks like we could be waiting a while before either candidate concedes the election.
Our society hates waiting. The original authors of the Declaration of Independence believed we have “unalienable Rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” If that declaration were written today our society would replace the last pursuit with this one, “the pursuit of Instant Gratification.”
This demand for instant gratification has filtered into the church. This can be seen in the attitudes many Christians have as consumers in our society. It can also be seen in the anxiety level many of us have about this election. We want to demand immediate results because we think technology should make that possible. I agree that it would be good if we could have the results soon, but I have come to realize our Constitution does not have the same demand, so we need to learn to be patient and wait on the Lord for the results.
One of the best ways to keep the right perspective on difficulties in life is to look back at how the people of God kept perspective during times of trial and hardship. If you look in the Bible you realize rather quickly that our complaints about this year’s elections are insignificant compared to the difficulties God’s people have had to endure.
The book of Exodus records how God’s people had to endure slavery in Egypt for four hundred years! How would Christians in America do if that kind of persecution broke out in our country? Our current complaints would be put to shame. We would be forced to put our hope in the God who sustained the Hebrew people. We would be forced to find strength in the Sovereignty of God. We would learn to read passages of Scripture like Psalm 90 the way the original author intended it to be read.
“Psalm 90. A Prayer of Moses, The Man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.”
“You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?”
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (English Standard Version)
