Years ago, a pastor friend reflected on the frustrating politics of his day. He said to his church: sometimes we get better leaders than we deserve. Sometimes, we get worse leaders than we deserve. And then sometimes we get the leaders we deserve. What if our leaders are simply representative of the culture we live in?
Are you looking for a leader? Israel was. Ever after Jeroboam broke the ten tribes away from David’s dynasty, the Israelites engaged in false worship. While a few of David’s descendants reigned in righteousness in the southern kingdom of Judah, the people of the northern kingdom of Judah waited in vain for a good king.
In Psalm 99, the Psalmist wrote a royal psalm, envisioning God as the great King the nation needed. The Lord is surrounded by angels. He is great, awesome, holy, and mighty. When the kings of Israel failed, God’s people lifted their eyes to the Maker of heaven and earth. God had always been their King. He still was.
To this day, we long for human leaders to lead us in righteousness. We pray for them and ask God to set them apart for himself. But even when our earthly leaders fail, God never does. God is still on his throne. Our citizenship is in heaven. The Lord is the real Ruler of the universe. Pray that God will give us leaders after his own heart.
